


Old Flames, Shifting Desires

by FireLordAzulaFirstOfHerName



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Azula discovering her sexuality, Azula is main but every character gets to shine, Bisexual Azula, Bisexual Suki, Bisexual Ty Lee, Everyone is a Slut, F/F, F/M, Multi, Zuko gets all the pussy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:40:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 44,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26320555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireLordAzulaFirstOfHerName/pseuds/FireLordAzulaFirstOfHerName
Summary: Seven years after the arrival of Sozin's Comet, there is peace and prosperity among the four nations from the Avatar's actions and Fire Lord Zuko's healing of his country. A few years into their procured peace, Zuko and his sister Azula had finally found their long lost mother, Ursa, leading to Azula's self imposed exile after running away with no explanation. Having been finally located years later, Azula has trouble getting readjusted to the palace life Zuko has offered her, and the relationships she had harbored in it, even months after her reluctant return. Now, an unexpected trip to Ember Island will force her and her peers into gaining much needed realizations, but the future does not just hold relaxation and calm tides after a secret plot to dismantle the Fire Nation is under way. What lies in Azula's past during her time in the Earth Kingdom, and will her and her brother and allies be able to stop the looming threat? And most importantly of all, does any of it spell redemption for the troubled Princess?
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Jin/Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 53





	1. Radiating Heat

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and thanks for reading. This is my first ever fanfic that I have ever written, for myself or anyone to share with. I highly, highly encourage everyone who reads this to leave criticism, tips, suggestions for me, things that you desire to see happen plot wise that I may consider, as this story will surely rise in quality as time goes on if you do. I initially wanted to drop the entire thing at once, but I figured it would never get finished if I did it that way, and having an audience anticipating additions and more to come would deeply encourage me to work hard to see this through. Some notes about the plot points: Ursa was found by Zuko, but she never lost her memories or changed her face, and never settled down to have another family. Everything from the show is held accountable to this universe, but the comics are not. I wanted to give this universe a feeling of maturity as the characters have matured as well, so expect this to be extremely graphic and raw. Again, please leave any criticism that you definitely will have, it will be priceless to me. Note: any relationship tags that I have employed in the description but have not appeared in the story yet means that these pairings will come in future chapters that have not been published yet, my intent is to let readers know what they are getting into. I will add more in the future when they finally appear in the story, and I plan on adding some ships that are a little more looked over. If you were looking for some immediate Zuko and Jin action but it isnt present yet, I'm sorry but yes it will be part of the story in the near future. Enjoy the show and thanks for bearing with me

Chapter One: Radiating Heat

The near-boiling water had started to inch its way up, bubbling in a display of tiny pops and stirring steam that cleansed the still air above it of it's dry touch. Minutes, or what seemed hours, went by as the water had almost breached the brim of its container, a smooth gray marble tub had kept it held in position, along with the princess who occupied it. Princess Azula, with her black hair draping down on her contrasted glowing light skin, had slowly been sinking down gradually as the water line had once held its place at her thin middle right at the base of her ribcage, and now after mere moments she barely noticed how her ears and philtrum were submerged. Her mind was empty for once, and she focused on the darkness that calmed her. Her thoughts were as blank as her sight had been since she closed her eyes an eternity ago when she carefully lifted herself down into the tub. The water had been colder then, and now Azula's body had radiated an immense heat that turned the once calm waters into a hot soup of soap and smelling salts; the calming vanilla fragrance had relaxed her nostrils and mind as the fire stirred in her belly, spiraling down her crossed legs and arms at her side. She could barely feel them, her own heat had succeeded the water's and created a floating sensation she drifted off in. 

She was slightly surprised, but not really. She thought how maybe her long hours spent at her fire bending session in the concrete square of her palace would have subdued her inner burning, but she knew better than to assume it was an inferno that could ever be tamed. So she had used it beforehand to expel her energy jittering to exit her in a ferocious fashion, and now she would use it to unnerve herself, and let her limbs drift with the slight swirl of her bath. She had been dripping of sweat from her training session, her little covering of clothes had clung to her body in a dampness from the scorching summer sun that gave her power, and she was sure she smelled akin to the servant's laundry room before she had secluded herself in her admittedly comfortable, sleek tub. Her hard work had left her reasonably tired, but her energy was rejuvenating within her at a quickening pace. But perhaps she had drifted off too much, as her refreshed mind had left her inattentive to her surroundings that crept up on her. The water had crept past the bridge of her soft nose, and it was only when it reached her brow that her body began to twitch. 

_ That feeling. _

The temperature wasn't right, but the memory was there all the same. Suddenly the water turned freezing, and the helpless sensation of submersion brought Azula back to that inconceivable day, when the water tribe girl had trapped her in near solid water, and there she had chained Azula's unmoving form to the grates below. She felt a pressing on her knees, as if the squared metal had been rubbing into her bones. Her skin felt like it was being pricked by pins and needles.

Azula's eyes flashed open, and she pulled herself up slightly to where the water had once again surrounded above her waist, and now her toned biceps had clung to the lip of the tub, her fingers clenching the sides. She was slightly panting, but quickly stopped herself as the memory got pushed down to her sternum, leaving a lump in her throat. Her vertical mirror had been resting across from her struggling to reflect what little light touched it's surface, and now Azula found herself staring into her golden yellow eyes, the eyes of a fabled dragon ready to strike at any moment, and she noticed how they matched the display of flaming candles that surrounded her backside on a semicircular table, entrancing the room in a low orange glow. Her room was mostly dark, partly attributed to the harsh shade of maroon that it was painted in, and she could not see the marbled floor or it's fancy fire nation colored rugs. Now all was calm again, and she admired her face glazed in the film of water that she had let consume her, and her long locks of inky black hair that flowed down her shoulders. Looking at her own beauty almost made her purr. She took a look at her bare chest and blushed skin from the heat, and she reached to the miniature dark wood table that sat to her right side, dipping her fingers into a white cup like container to scoop out a creamy blue soap in her polished inch length nails, lathering her chest and collarbone with it and watching the substance turn to suds. She slowly rubbed both her arms, making way to her neck as she closed her eyes at the slight tickle her own touch gave her. 

Her much needed relaxation only lasted a few more moments before some buffoon had clamped the metal knockers on the door to her main bedroom. She didn't have the time to give verbal permission for the annoying intruder before they barged in her room, and an older man with a short gray beard wearing a lower tier guards uniform begrudgingly carried an ornate metal tray of fancy foods into her quarters. He hollered her title before realizing that the dark room that was her living space was not in fact abandoned, but that she was instead using her bath area, and entered through the doorway with an obviously annoyed facial expression. Azula didn't even bother to cover her exposed region before hissing her orders in an overly annoyed tone to the pathetic man. 

"Just put the tray on the chest over there. And why even bother knocking if you're just going to let yourself in like some imbecile with no regards to your superior?" She didn't have the courtesy to plant her eyes on him and instead kept them closed as he fulfilled his peasant duties. 

"Yeah whatever, just be glad you aren't fed the slop that they give your old man and that you're not rotting in there with him. I had to carry this tray all the way across the palace and I was tempted to spit in it twice on the way here." He grumbled in a deep voice. The guard slammed down Azula's meal where she told him to and promptly left in a slight rage, garnering a look of menace from Azula as she thought about plunging a fire dagger into his bulging stomach. She would have very much enjoyed hearing him begging for mercy, but the sound of his footsteps trailing off away from her would have to do for now. Only a couple minutes had passed after her door was slammed and she decided to finally erect herself from the boiling water. She watched in the mirror as steam faded from her shoulders, and the rest of the water droplets fell from her saturated body. She thought how she was looking as good as ever as she ran a finger down her lean tummy, and gently rested her palm on her hip. 

_ I am hungry _ , she thought to herself as she lifted her leg to exit the marble like tub. She did not care to dry herself with the towels sitting only a trot away. Normally she would have the servant girls drag the luxury cloth across her wet frame for her, but as she was not allowed her regal rights to routine pampering any longer, she decided to put her silk robe over her damp self instead. She tied the golden sash around it's solid red form as she made her way to the chest she had ordered her food to be placed on, and examined the contents. A small browned loaf of bread sat on white china along with six vegetable dumplings, and another plate held cut up pieces of red meat soaked in the cooking juices with a trivial portion of rice. She picked up an accompanying cup of hot tea, and took a sip, judging it's flavor. 

_ Good enough.  _

She brought the tray to her desk devoid of any personal items and ate the contents of her meal in a formal manner, as if she wasn't depressingly alone and was with a person of noble interests. She quietly praised the cooking staff in her thoughts as the bites of food satisfied her taste buds, although it was not as hot as she would have liked, and if she tried to use her bending she'd surely burn it to a crisp.  _ At least Zuko opted to keep the same chefs as Father had employed. _ It was obvious she was eating from the same bounty of luxurious food that Zuko was having, as he always had sent over every morning, afternoon, and evening. Though sometimes he had meals specially made to meet her preferences if he thought the regular provisions were not to her liking. 

_ He's still treating me like a prisoner. He thinks these palace walls can hold me.  _

Azula's fire bending session and the overall heat from the day had left her starving, and her entire plate was left with only scrapes of residue in a short time. In the meantime her tea had begun to cool, and she warmed it up herself to the perfect temperature, leaning back in her padded chair and slowly sipping on the beverage. She felt like her uncle Iroh as her belly was stuffed and his favorite drink in the world activated her taste buds. 

_ The fat slob, he's probably stuffing his face twice as much as me and playing Pai Sho with some Ba Sing Se idiot.  _

There was nothing for Azula to do at her desk as she tapped her feet on the ground, her silk robe no longer clinging to her wet skin. All she had to enjoy was staring at the stone wall that her shiny wooden desk sat up against and feel her brain turn into mush. She knew there used to be a window there, as Azula had memorized every room and chamber in the royal palace as a child. She could outline with her eyes the rough patch work of the inserted wall, no doubt from an earth bender that Zuzu hired to keep her room enclosed with only one exit and entrance. 

_ An Earth Kingdom peasant shaping the structure of the Fire Nation's royal palace, how disgusting.  _

Azula glanced over to her night stand by the very same bed she had as a child; the bed had been moved here on the Fire Lord's orders as he claimed he wanted his sister to feel the most comfortable. It was certainly a step up from the back stiffening metal and rags that was her sleeping area in the mental health prison, and the only thing that possibly made that cell more comfortable was her padded straight jacket to stop her from burning the entire building down and the inhabitants with it. Those memories for a long while had remained untouched, much like the display of makeup and beauty products that were on the nightstand next to her bed. No one of any importance would see her, so why bother fixing herself up when she could never leave the palace anyway. 

Azula's routine silent brooding was interrupted by another booming knock on her door, and she found this most unexpected as usually her dinner being brought to her was the last she would see of anybody in the night. 

"What the fuck could you possibly want now?!" She snapped at her unheralded visitor, twisting around in her seat to see who would enter behind her across the room. Her teeth were clenched and her eyes were wild as the door to her quarters slowly opened, creaking to a halt with only a few inches of a wall mounted lantern's light shining through. The first thing she saw was the scar peaking through the slit, and then the golden eye that matched her brother's fire emblem headpiece on his hair bun. He peered awkwardly at Azula as he hesitated to enter. Zuko made a habit of conversing with her every day but never this late. 

"Hello, Azula. May I come in?" He asked in his slithery voice. 

"Well, well, a visit from the Fire Lord, I'm truly humbled." She watched as her brother strolled to the middle of the room, his character flowing with the bright red robes decorated with golden trim that reminded her of their father, and held a plate of what seemed to be a dessert of some kind. 

"Did you enjoy your dinner? I thought it was good." 

_ Awkward small talk before you ask about what you really came for, huh? Fine, I'll play your game.  _

"Yes, it was rather delicious." Even the truth coming from her lips had a hint of sarcasm. 

"Well if you're not too full, I brought you a plate of some cream custard with cherries on top, I figured you would like it." 

Azula turned her back to him, facing her desk and pretending to be more attentive to some other matter, even though nothing occupied the space in front of her. "Perhaps I will try it later, thank you for your  _ thoughtfulness _ , Zuzu." 

Zuko placed the plate on the desk next to the others, and stood resting his hands in his draping sleeves, glaring with his standard scowl. "I wish you would take me up on the offer for us to eat dinner together, you know, as a family. It's not exactly fine dining when eating alone."

"Yes, I'm sure with Mai not around anymore, it does get quite lonely. I'm sure she was just bubbling with cheerful conversation." She didn't bother to look up at him, and she had trouble hiding her smirk. 

_ Hit him where it stings, and he'll get to the damn point.  _

Zuko's eyes stiffened, and he moved slightly behind her. "Well, anyway, I just came to ask you something." 

_ So predictable.  _

_ " _ And what would that be, Zuzu?" She opened a drawer in her desk, pulling out a metal case of pre rolled premium cigarettes and popped one in her mouth, using her fingers to light the tip. 

"I'm taking some vacation time. Things that require a Fire Lord's attention have been taxing lately, so I decided to take some time off. I'm going to Ember Island for a little while. I wanted you to come with me." His words came stumbling out of his mouth like a tipsy bar dweller.

Azula's eyes widened for a second, and then she went back to her blank expression.  _ This is unexpected.  _

"Why do you think I would have the desire to take a vacation with you?" She replied in a callous tone. 

"Alright then. Just forget I asked you about it." He seemed to not have a care in the world as he walked back towards the door, seemingly fine with the answer, but Azula knew better. 

"Wait." 

Zuko turned, trying to hide a smile on his face. His sister was turned away from him but he always wondered if she had eyes on the back of her head. "Yes?" 

Azula turned to face him with questioning eyes. "what's your game here? Why are you asking me this?" 

"There's no game, Azula. I'm just going on vacation, and I thought you would like to leave the palace, maybe sunbathe on the beach." 

"I'm just surprised you would actually let me leave, since it seems I'm doomed to stay here forever." Azula rolled her eyes as she breathed out the smoke from her cigar. 

Zuko uncrossed his arms, his response as unemotional as the rest of his discourse. "Look, when I found you half a year ago, I could have let you continue to roam the Earth Kingdom on your own or have thrown you in the mental hospital. That's what everyone else thought was best. But I believed it would be better to bring you home, where the princess belongs. I even allow you to firebend on the grounds. It doesn't seem like I've made a mistake about it, yet. And you agreed to my terms. If you want to go back out there and make it on your own, no one is stopping you. But if you're going to be a part of the upper echelon of the Fire Nation, then you're going to have to gain everyone's trust." 

"And why would you consider trusting me, after everything I've done?" She was unsure of the truth of his words, for once she couldn't read him. 

"When you did everything you did, you were only a child. You were manipulated by Father just like I was, it's just unlike me, he actually thought you were useful. I've done a lot of wrong things for the wrong reasons, but I've moved past that part of me. I'm trying to make this nation a better place. And maybe you're capable of doing the same. But maybe I'm wrong." 

Azula mulled over his words for a fraction of a moment before getting back to the matter at hand. "So, this vacation, is mother going to be there?" 

"No, she won't be there. But Ty Lee will be coming." Zuko didn't know if Ty Lee would entice her to come or if she would be a deal breaker. 

"Of course, I guess you would need your precious Kyoshi Warriors to protect you everywhere you go. Such good little fan girls." Ty Lee had been the only other person besides Zuko who had tried to stick by Azula. She visited her in the mental facility every week like Zuko had whenever she had the opportunity, and even after having to betray Azula back at the Boiling Rock all those years ago during the war, Ty Lee was all smiles and giggles whenever she would see Azula around at the palace. Of course, Azula felt she would never stop resenting Ty Lee for what she did, the bond that she had broken, but Azula felt at least a tiny amount of appreciation for never leaving her. She could tell Ty Lee still had love for her, and Azula could use that to her advantage. And now that Ty Lee was part of the Kyoshi Warriors, Azula wondered how it was any different than the circus Ty Lee had come from. "Who else?" She knew Zuko wouldn't be going alone with just his security detail. 

"I'm sure you know Sokka, from the water tribe. He was in the palace for business and I offered him the chance to come, since his girlfriend Suki will be there and all. I don't think you two ever really interacted much?" Zuko was scratching the back of his neck, tugging at his loose hairs. 

"I recall speaking to him once. It was about me torturing that girl Suki in prison, but he seemed to be pretty engaged about it." Azula stated her words so carelessly, and it was clear to Zuko that mental manipulation was still one of her main pleasures. She observed her sharp nails as her lively anecdote passed her lips. "So, is that Earth Kingdom bitch you've been seen hanging around with coming too?" 

"Her name is Jin, and if you disrespect her like that again, then coming with us won't even be an option for you." Azula could see Zuko almost steaming at her derogatory remark. 

_ Don't pop a blood vessel there, big brother.  _

"Fine, I'll try to be more deferential when it comes to your new girlfriend. I'm sure if she's got any trace of joy in her, she's way more lively than Mai ever could be." She crossed her arms and legs with a laughing smirk. Azula thought to herself what's the worst that could happen if she went with them on this vacation. Maybe Ty Lee would start crying just like last time, or Zuko's new squeeze turns out to be a cunt that even she herself couldn't stand. Maybe lighting the water tribe boy's short fuse of a temper would be fun entertainment. "Alright fine, it seems beneficial for me to go and leave this dreary place. But while we're on vacation, you could at least delegate more servants to attend to me than you allow here, it seems I have to do everything by myself, nowadays." 

"You have the same amount of servants as I do. All they do for me is clean my station and wash my clothes and bring me letters. You're a big girl now, I think you can handle things yourself." Zuko rolled his eyes at his sister's childishness and need for authority, its as if she was still fourteen back before the war ended. 

"Well the ones you send could at least be nicer to me, like that embecile who brought me my dinner tonight, he's quite the grumbling charmer." She let out those last two words with a low growl. 

"I'll make sure they treat you with more respect, provided you don't provoke them." Zuko made his way to the door, almost phantom like with the bottom of his robe drifting on the wood floor. "We leave early morning, so pack anything you think you need. Before we go, I'll have you brought to the royal tailor to pick out any outfits that you would like to wear. And Azula?" 

She perked her eyebrow towards him. 

"You're not to give anyone there any trouble. Or I'll schedule a special return trip, just for you." He opened and closed the door behind him, once again leaving Azula alone, still puffing on her small cigar. The burning smoke she absorbed in her lungs felt therapeutic, as all royal fire benders, or at least talented ones, were taught to absorb smog and distribute it through their chi. She focused on controlling the lit end of her cigar, making it burn at a snail's pace as she thought about the events that would transpire soon. Zuko didn't even mention how long this vacation was supposed to last, or if they even had any activities planned. Hopefully she would be able to catch some sun rays in peace without any disturbance, and maybe the relaxing setting will cause Ty Lee to close her mouth for once.

But enough thinking about what she could do then, Azula had wondered about what there was to do now. The moon had just begun it's watch from what she could tell from her door being opened earlier, and she was not ready to nod off in her bed just yet. The boredom was getting to her, something she hoped would be remedied come tomorrow in this interesting turn of events. She thought about how if Zuko went to go on vacation without her, he would've had her set in chains during his absence so she couldn't scheme to overtake the palace. Maybe that was his plan if she had turned him down, maybe that's why he seemed somewhat happy she had agreed to come since no sensible person would want to deal with that aftermath. Still, she could not deny that Zuzu had seemed to extend his hand to her every chance he got, and that he seemed to actually want her to be around. Some time ago she would've thought it to be a ruse to systematically toss her away, leave her in a state worse than the prison she was in. But she knew better. 

_ Zuzu just suffers from having a big heart, and that will be the Fire Lord's downfall someday soon, but not from me. I'll just gladly watch. _

Tiring of thinking about her brother's feelings, Azula began to dwell on her own in the present moment. She had thought a long bath with her hearty meal and relaxing smoke would leave her more lethargic for the night, but the fire in her belly had not been put out. She could sense a sort of vibration echoing through her body, and she began to pace around the room. It was too late to go out and firebend again, though she did consider taking a nightly stroll. That was how her time was occupied for the most of her days, practicing her bending that she supposedly would have no more practical use for, and the walks around the palace at any time of the day had become mundane. There were no servants to boss around, no personal demands to be met. Azula was told she would have to tend to herself and leave her idea of regal authority behind, according to Zuko. She supposed it beat wandering the Earth Kingdom and being a peasant girl like her brother's new lady friend. It occurred to her that maybe she was in fact better off in her exile if Zuzu had gone from family disgrace to ruler of the Fire Nation from his time of banishment. Perhaps she had a shot of reconquering Ba Sing Se on her own, starting with burning down Uncle Iroh's tea shop. 

_ No, I won't ever set foot in the Earth Kingdom again. Not after… _

In her pacing Azula had stopped in front of a vanity littered with creams and liquids and powders by her tub. She gripped a medium sized vile holding a purple substance that had struck her attention and headed towards her tall mirror, promptly disrobing herself, letting her garment gently slide off her pronounced shoulders and onto the floor at her feet after unfastening the sash, revealing her milky white build.  _ This should help me relax, _ she noted to herself as she twisted the cork from the glass bottle neck, pouring the cool liquid into her palm. She examined every inch of her silk skin as she applied relaxing oil onto herself, instantly feeling a riveting sensitivity everywhere she rubbed it in. Her form and frame stood elegantly, with every curve excitingly crafted from months of relentless exercises and need of perfection fueled by her underlying hatred. If there was one thing she loved, it was the ritual of surveying her own body with her eyes and soft hands. She paid extra attention to her bust and hips, and running a nail down those areas was like brushing velvet. The oil only made the experience more addicting, and pretty soon she had spent a good few minutes running her fingers across her toned legs, taking in every inch of her skin. Her glossy inner thighs being massaged by her own doing had almost made her lose visual concentration, but she opted to focus on her own beauty as if her relaxed eyelids were unable to fully close.

_ You're so sexy, so perfect. No one is more beautiful than you, Azula. Even the ones who despise you can't deny it. _

Azula sat in the blocky marble chair fixated on the end of her tub, normally used as her sitting space while the servants combed her damp hair as it flowed like an inky waterfall in the tub, removing any kinks and knots while applying vitalizing oils to give it sheen and grace. Those servants were once forced to look upon her beauty as well and couldn't look away, just like she couldn't when she got an eyeful of herself. The chair hadn't been used in months, but tonight the cold marble was refreshing against her naked body and only made her more comfortable as she spread her thighs, parting the sides of her visually stunning slit. It was a shakeup from the normalcy of pleasuring herself in the bath or bed, and these days Azula's body had commanded her to give in to her self loving desires, a rush of chemicals and energy she couldn't ignore even if she wanted to. Years of wearing prim and proper royal attire that covered her from neck to toe had given her an impulse for exhibitionism, and she would go to town on herself in the middle of the gardens if the guards hadn't kept a constant eye. Zuko had been much more lax on her expectations of appearance, and allowed her to wear matching red tight chest wraps that hid very little, and the tiniest training shorts that exposed the entirety of her legs. Every denizen of the palace miserably failed to hide their drawn out stares of her sweat coated instrument of a body when she trained, and often her bright clothes turned dark maroon when she was soaked from her routine, leaving nothing to the imagination. If her father had still roamed the palace and caught wind of her regal populace's perversion, they would have been executed immediately.

Now, the oil on her skin resembled her sweat drenched form from earlier, though this time feeling pleasantly less begrimed. She began to lightly rub her shaved twat, and it was just as slick as the rest of her body despite her neglecting to touch it beforehand. She parted it with her little fingers, the ones she would shoot bright lighting from, and exposed her pink flesh to the cool air. The sensitivity she provoked was gripping, and she was bewitched to charge every nerve. She had laser focus on her womanly form in the mirror, and she thought herself so mesmerizing that she was almost drooling. Azula's mouth salivated, and a finger disappeared into her lips to give an easing wetness for her when she would do the same on her lower entrance. Her naturally lubricated finger began brushing her labia while her left hand was cupping her breast, and she pondered on its perfectly proportioned shape as she caressed her dainty pink nipple. The female anatomy was the perfect form of beauty, and she believed, no, knew hers was the prime template of them all. She was an apex predator, a product of years of perfecting the bloodline of her royal lineage, and now that same blood was making her skin and cheeks blush as she dedicated this night purely for self pleasure. 

Azula had to be careful with her long nail as she slid her pointer finger into her wetness, rolling the pad of her thumb ever so gently on her clit. Her tit was hypersensitive at this point as her other hand had begun to trail down her tummy in a slow contrast to her racing thoughts. She was fighting her instinct to go at a racing speed, instead opting to tease herself with the slightest touch, inside and outside her body, and her finger had traced past her hip and was now provoking the sensitive nerves in her inner thigh. Her breathing was almost more intense than when she would erupt a cloud of fiery plumes into the air, her breath straining and now allowing her throat to hum a few harmonic moans. Azula decided to add another finger in the mix, the sensation of stretching her walls had made her wonder why she didn't insert it sooner. Every other time she would play with herself she would already be pumping her fingers in and out around this mark, but this time she wanted to feel the tension, something about tonight had made her take it slow. Her clit was fully swollen now, and her thumb had not taken up any haste while she was still stimulating her sensitive bit. She let out another sharp moan. Azula had to be careful, any louder and the guard posted outside her door would be tempted to intervene in the commotion. She giggled at the thought of breathing a roar of fire from the tension and scorching the ceiling, a scenario which seemed very real to her at the moment. 

Her pumping had begun to accelerate, and now the addicting feeling of staring at herself in the mirror had been beaten by the convulsion of laying her head back with her eyes closed. The advantages of her abilities had been proven when she generated a small surge of electricity from the tip of her hand and ran it along her thigh, creating a torturous tickle that excited her enough to bite down on her bottom lip hard, leaving a mark. Her moans were heavy now, and she felt another tickle as her juices dripped down from her twitching pussy. Azula wiped the juices up with the finger that was just inside her, wanting to give herself a taste. The sticky substance stuck to her taste buds and the roof of her mouth, and she found it to be delectable. 

_ I taste so divine. Zuko was wrong in thinking he had brought you the most delicious dessert tonight. _

Azula was continued glaring at her form in the mirror while again sliding her fingers into her dripping pussy, this time with force. The driving pressure was in perfect contrast to the slow rubbing she was giving her tit, and she again gave her finger tips a tiny electric charge to make her nipple experience an intriguing jolt. Her midsection was wiggling with energy, though she couldn't tell which hand was the cause. She now had three fingers buried deep inside, and she let spit fall from her mouth and onto her cunt to help with the friction. She imagined a man's length to be the cause of her eruptions of pleasure when she closed her eyes. She could picture the man mesmerized by her, unable to pay attention to anything else other than her as he slid his cock in and out of her, ready to release his hot cum inside her royal snatch. But of course Azula knew the truth. 

_ No one in the world can please me like I can, touch me like I can. _

If someone had approached her and lay a hand on her flushed skin, they would likely be burned, unintentionally on her part. Her body was once again radiating an immense amount of heat, and she could feel her drawn out moans almost transform into flame. Sweat was now coating her forehead, dripping down the entire length of body. She could feel a pool of sweat and juices right where she was sitting as she wiggled her fingers in and out of her, her heartbeat practically stopping every time she got knuckle deep. Azula was again mesmerized by her shined body; she was practically glowing. 

_ So incredibly sexy, such perfection.  _

It was a struggle to keep her thighs as wide as possible, but she wanted the best view. Every jolt of pleasure, every shock Azula induced on her thighs from her abilities fought hard for her to twitch them closed. Her toes were curling as they draped down the arm rests of her seat, and her nimble fingers began to cramp. Azula thought her lower lip would have a gnash by the time she was done sinking her teeth into it, and the lips of her pussy were flooded with sensation. She moved her hand to play with her labia as she continued to penetrate herself over and over, and she could tell she was getting close. She would draw out that feeling as long as possible, as long as she needed until her brain was a slush of chemicals. Her throat was almost sore from straining to keep moans to an appropriate volume, as she might wake the entire palace if she allowed herself no restraint. For what was actually close to an hour felt like mere minutes as she continued on, and her entire skin was now as damp as when she had emerged from the tub some time before. She hadn't dared taken her eyes off of herself in the mirror, which was beginning to fog up from the heat of her body. She swore the marble under her weight had begun to melt, much like the current feeling of her tummy. 

Azula's nipples ached to be touched again, and so she gave in with both hands, pressing in circles with her moist fingers and nails, leaving her cunt aching from the absence of stimuli. Her titties filled her hands perfectly as she spit on her nipples for less throbbing friction. Her breasts felt incredibly squishy, and this time she was looking directly at herself rather than the fogged mirror. Her blue veins were beginning to show, and her nips were rather hard now, like tiny stones dotting her perfectly shaped bust. But now after her short break of wrist work, it was time to get back to business, and Azula trailed her itty-bitty hands down her tummy and pelvis, her feminine touch giving off a faint tickle. She decided to taste her entrance once again before getting back to her bicep straining motions, and her juices were even more flavoursome than before. 

Azula used only two fingers to finish the job inside her while she used her other thumb and pointer to roll her clit ever so gently between them. She didn't need to shock herself, the lightning was already in her loins, and again she had to fight to keep her legs open. Her moaning became higher pitched, and an outsider would think she was getting tortured in an immense pain if they walked by, but thank the spirits she had restraint on her volume, or the next person to burst through her door tonight she would no doubt strangle for interrupting, even if it was the Avatar himself. Her spasms got more violent, even more so than the deranged thoughts in her head, and she knew it was time to release herself. Her hand was waving with her fingers inside like a flapping butterfly, and finally she felt the sensation pass through her. Her hips locked, and Azula nearly blacked out from the shuddering that erupted through her. She opened her eyes in surprise, as this time she had finished for the first time, her pussy had shot hot fluids like a water bender straight into the air, painting her thighs and the mirror with specks and trails of fluid. It wouldn't stop, not for nearly half a minute as her brain was now mush, and her muscles were now akin to hot jelly spread thin. She could barely move her limbs, her veiny arms with her muscles popped out as if she had carried the entire world on her shoulders. Azula opted to taste the fluid that had spasmed out of her, but it lacked any significant taste, still sending her tongue into ecstacy at the thought of its origin. She looked at herself in the mirror lined with fog and stained with her juices only a foot away from her, she could see her hair was soaked from sweat, and had she been wearing makeup, her face would be a smear of colors. 

'For such a prim and proper princess, you've always been such a messy girl.' 

_ You. I was wondering when you would show up to taunt me.  _

'Why would I taunt my love for making herself feel good on an evening like this?' 

Azula could see the figure emerge in the mirror behind her, standing next to the tub. She didn't bother to look back. It was as if she were steam, like she were a thin veil of vapor, the elegant red robe and flowing black hair running like a watercolor painting. Her face looked almost identical to Azula's, though her lips were fuller and eyebrows and nose slightly more pronounced. 

"I'm just enjoying my time in this wretched place, this boneyard of meaningless memories." She exclaimed aloud to the soft phantom. 

'I hope you enjoy your time with Zuko and your friends tomorrow, it'll be a nice change of pace. Maybe you'll find peace on Ember Island. Surely you remember the nice trips we made when we were family.' The voice was a soft harmonic hum of an angel, but Azula couldn't stand to hear it. 

"Yes, and I suppose you'll be opting out of this one. Good, I'd prefer you to stay in your little hog town, wasting your days in that flower shop." 

The figure disappeared, and it was as real to Azula as the hand she was staring at, even though she knew it was an impossibility. Mother was back where she went into hiding, again opting not to be a part of their lives. But she still followed her everywhere she went, every dark spot in her mind was a potential housing for the taunting specter. She wondered when the last time she was in contact with Zuzu, not that it mattered. They could keep to themselves all they wanted, Azula wanted no part of it. Their mother coming back was all Zuzu had ever wanted, even with all the power in the world and all the influence of the future, he had been chasing the past. And now that it was there in front of them, he let her stay wasting in the life she had abandoned them for. Perhaps she couldn't stand to walk by the booming portrait of Grandfather every day, knowing what she had done.

It was no matter whether she visited Azula on the whim or traveled a great distance to see her, she would be met with the same animosity either way. Azula put it behind her now, not even bothering to redress herself as she pulled the drain at the bottom of her tub she had long forgotten about, the water now freezing from sitting there, and she made way to her desk where her dirty dishes lay, sitting down to enjoy the custard with cherries Zuko had brought her. 

_ This is good, but not as good as the dessert I've already had tonight.  _

When she finished and wiped her mouth of cream, she fell into her bed laden with silk sheets in a tiredness she had been waiting for, sucking in the energy from the flames that lit the room to entrap her in complete darkness. She must sleep now, as she had to be up at sunrise to prepare for her departure. Finally she would be able to go beyond the walls for a change of pace, for better or worse she did not know...

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Flying Dragon

Chapter 2: Flying Dragon

Princess Azula had been standing in the dimly lit room, sconces lining the walls between massive pillars that seemed to go upward for miles, and the ceiling was as black as her training uniform. There was wide open space in front of her, the floor's elongated wooden panels ended at a large wall, a glowing bronze surface adorned with large portraits of past rulers. 

"Striking pattern, again!" The booming voice had commanded Azula, and she straightened her back even more than it already had been before looking to her left and seeing her brother Zuko, eyes determined but fearful as they both punched forward and gave a flying kick, with red heat coming from both of Azula's maneuvers that had spread to the sides of her peripheral before faintly disappearing. She had caught eye of her brother's performance, and a lack of results had condemned him to staring at his fruitless hands in an almost tearful expression. 

"Failure! You were born the prince of this nation but can't even produce its element of power like your younger sister. I came here to see results, but I should have expected no more than you've failed to show me! I suppose fear is perhaps the best teacher..." An arm from the long maroon and black robe extended, and elegantly created a long whip of thin but dangerous glowing electricity that snapped towards him, and Azula witnessed Zuko bury his face behind his small arms in a flinching fashion before the very whip of precise voltage had whirled its way over to her, making her do the same as her brother although in a less dramatic manner. When she opened her eyes, the whip had flown to one of the portraits, and she could see the line of energy curl behind the tower sized painting of her great grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin. The energy was indeed a living breathing blue dragon, scales glistening in the warm light as it's piercing yellow eyes had directed themselves towards her, and with a fraction of a second, the mighty creature had plunged straight for her, mouth wide and hungry as it's teeth were scorched with an ejection of air consuming flame, and she covered her eyes with her wrist before being engulfed in darkness.

Azula was sitting upright in her continent sized bed, and the empty floor that surrounded it was a vast ocean of reflected orange light. All was still and flat as the sheets she sat on, not a kink or wrinkle in sight, and the wide entryway to her sleeping quarters stood vacant. She looked at the edge of her sleeping area behind her to discover a woman in red robes topped with a drooping hood, and all she could make out was a familiar pair of full lips enclosed in a glowing sharp chin. 

"Azula, we have to go now, we have to hurry, I'll explain later." The voice was soft and soothing, and immediately she was picked up and thrust in the figure's arms where she rested her tired head on the shoulders, ears grazing the soft material of the hood. Her legs were pressed tight to what she recognized was the feeling of her mother's chest, and the hallway had been changing into a dreary gray as her mother hurriedly trotted forward. Her brother was running behind them, sweat pouring from his hairline and both eyes wide with confusion, but his mouth had been ordered quiet and there was no peep nor gasp of breath from him.

"Mommy, where are we going?" Her high pitched question was answered with a winded hush, and they continued on. Suddenly she heard a gasp, and Azula tumbled forward into the ground out of her mother's arms. The grass field in front of her was wide for miles and bathed a blood red. 

"Azula, run!" The words were a strained scream, and Azula looked back to see her her mother, far far away at the entrance of their home, and her outstretched arm was dragging Zuko back into the palace, her brother stumbling every other step from being unable to cover such a distance over small trots. 

"No, wait!" Azula ran back, and the Fire Nation soldiers and guards paid no attention to her, only looking straight on with their empty voids of eyeholes that dotted their blank skulls for helmets. She ran through the golden gate as fast as she could, her mind weaving in a thousand different directions. For once she felt scared, unsure of the situation. She was always in control, why isn't she in control?! Her running was too sluggish, her feet were practically caught in mud as the ground bounced with every step, and moving forward seemed to only push her further away. She saw the tree, the little bridge walkways and the pristine pond, and finally she observed two figures near the sophisticated fountain, but no water was flowing, it almost seemed empty. She stopped, and she saw her mother, knees on the ground holding her brother tight in her grasp. His face was still and pale while her mother's was writhing with pain, and finally Azula could see all the water from the fountain was streaming from her mother's eyes; there was blood staining Zuko's neck that made the collar of his royal attire somehow a shade darker. Her mother shut his eyes with her blood laden hands, leaving a stain on the left side of his face. 

_No, no. Who am I going to chase around the gardens? Who's going to help push me up when I want to climb the trees or get on the roofs? Who am I going to spit chewed food at when mother and father aren't looking? Father, where's father? Surely father actually didn't…._

"YOU MONSTER! YOU MONSTER!" her mother was wailing, and her cries were of roaring thunder even though the skies were clear and the sun was beaming. Suddenly, Azula's father appeared from behind the tree, his face no colder than usual, set in stone, more solid than the structure of the fountain behind him. "Please, please, why? How could you ever…. how could… how…. ever would you….." her mother was choking, begging for a mercy she knew she could not obtain, begging for mercy from a man she knew had no desire to grant any. Father looked as if he would slap her for the outburst.

"Father? Zuko... is he? How could he? He's the first in line, why would you actually go through with it? Why would you take orders from an old man practically on his deathbed?" Ozai noticed Azula gazing with her blank stare, finally breaking his expression by wincing at her words. He headed towards her, hands still resting in his robe's sleeves. She had never seen him give her that look before, a look of disappointment and aggravation. Azula dodged to her right, running into a small doorway that suddenly closed behind her. She looked at the missing entryway, then back in front of her. The floor was in flames, burning higher than her, but through the inferno she could see those thin pillars that lined the entire room, the ornate throne on which she had seen Grandfather Azulon sit so many times before. There he stood with a hunch in his back, his grayed facial hair hanging down as long as his powerful reign. She heard the hounding of a familiar voice that she had not heard in a long while: Uncle Iroh's. He was uncharacteristically in a fit of rage, though she could not see him.

"How could you allow this of a young child?! A young, innocent child?!" 

"It is my word, the word of your Fire Lord! And so it is!" The crisp voice clinging on for life had answered, and he pointed at the one who dared defy his ground, desecrate his status. 

"No! Not this time!" She saw a blue flash, a bolt of energy so powerful it rocked the overhang of the throne to crumbling rock and dust and debris. The flames which Azula had been standing inside unscathed had risen higher, burning rapidly until there was nothing but a red glow, and she could no longer feel…

Azula's eyes popped open, and she saw the familiar darkness that was the room she had been settled in for the past half year. She could feel the clinging of sweat, and could see the comforter that had bunched up over her churning body. She sat somewhat upright, her blanket falling to her lap and reminding her that she lay naked as she let her moist forehead rest in the palm of her hand. 

_It seems she'll linger on in my dreams as well._

Unpleasant reveries aside, Azula realized that sometime soon Zuko would be ready for their departure to Ember Island, and if she wasn't prepared by then, he would most likely have no qualms about leaving her behind. That would be unacceptable, she wanted out desperately even if it meant spending time with people she despised. She sifted through her wardrobe cabinet to find a chest wrap and training shorts, wasting no time to put them on. She tied her hair into a loose ponytail with a golden band as she headed towards the entrance to her chamber, not even bothering with shoes as she pushed her metal door open, and looked to the left at one of the stationed guards in full armored uniform, holding a bladed staff. It seemed the sun had barely begun to rise as the sky was a swirl of pink and orange, the glowing orb itself barely peeking above the tiled awnings of the walkways and palace walls. 

"You! How long has it been since the sun has come out?" 

The guard turned to her, face fully covered and voice muffled from his facial mask. "Only a few minutes, your Highness. It was dark only moments ago."

"Do you know when my brother will have sent for me to leave for our departure?" 

"I do not know, your Highness. I was not informed of such departure." 

Azula rolled her eyes. _Imbecile guards never know a damn thing._ "Very well. I will have you inform the servants that I wish my tub to be filled for a hot bath, and while I wait I will go for my morning firebending session now, and my breakfast is to be brought earlier than usual, after I come back for my bath." 

"Yes, right away, my Princess." He paced away quickly toward the servant's house. _At least they can be relied on for their promptness._ Azula made her way to the courtyard near the fountain, subconsciously checking to see if the water was full and flowing before taking on her forms. She kicked and punched in the air, gracefully letting herself fly as bright blue fire exited her body. She was scorching the grass and the tree, as normally she would practice in the concrete courtyard to not damage any property, but today she desired to practice in this spot. Kick after kick, stride after stride, the fruits of her labor only unleashed more heat and destruction and angst. The guard who followed her from his post to stand idly by watched and did not say a word about her vandalism; the palace did technically partly belong to her, anyway. Today Azula had much energy to burn off, letting the fires she created explode almost as powerful as they were on the day of Sozin's Comet, and she would not fathom the idea of slowing down or taking a breather for the next hour. Just thinking about her failure she had committed on that event seven years ago had enraged her even more, and the lush green grasses that surrounded her were now covered in splotches of carbon and thin layers of ash. 

_Zuzu surely won't be happy with the new addition I've made to his nice scenery, but I couldn't care less._

The restless Princess was teeming with sweat, and once again her garments were soaked. She was gasping for air at this point, her hands resting on her bent knees with a slight shake of her wrists. She peered up at the fountain, the glowing image of her mother holding little Zuzu in her arms flashed in her mind, and she spit away in disgust at her lack of ability to forget about such a dream. Azula had made way back to her chambers, and she saw the last of the servant girls filing out with two buckets each after having filled her tub. She didn't spend long in her bath, only enough time to take in the smelling salts and rid herself of the musk from her hard work. Her muscles newly relaxed, she climbed out of the water and dried herself, neglecting to stare at her own figure in the mirror before pulling the drain plug and slipping on a fresh black robe, and she chose a few select makeup utensils and powders from her nightstand. She set herself in front of the mirror that clung on the opposite side of the wall where her other mirror was placed, sitting wide to accommodate the length of the desk. She protruded her face forward, making sure every detail was perfectly crafted from the foundation and eyeliner. She chose her signature pinkish red for her lips, and then proceeded to admire herself for a long while this time, praising her own work. It had been ages since she looked like this, since she didn't look plain. Of course she thought herself to be stunning without any appliance to her face, but the makeup helped announce her authority to anyone in her presence, and it would be used today to make sure Zuko's peers did not forget who she was, especially his new lady. After appreciating her best features and placing her golden sharp headpiece in her hair to hold it up with its pin, she took out a small white string sack and began filling it with items she thought she needed, such as the makeup she had just used, hair ties, jewelry, her cigarettes, feminine items and lotions, and the purple liquid she had rubbed on her body in her self loving session from last night. 

There was a knock on her door, and she looked over to see a young guard carry in a small tray with her breakfast without saying a word. He sat it on the desk next to the empty wall where she ate the night before, grabbing the previous tray she had forgotten to leave outside her door before she slept. Today's breakfast consisted of sweet bread and rice, with a helping of thin slices of meat and what seemed to be a beaver chicken egg, yoke still intact and the white of it in a perfect circle. She sat down, crossing her legs and cracking her neck before almost taking a bite of the meat. There was another knock on the door, this time more quiet but drawn out. _I can never relax properly_ , she thought to herself as she waited for the door to open, but it didn't. She got up and huffed her way to the door, opening up to a familiar wide plain smile unaided by white makeup that she had admittedly not seen in ages. 

"Hi, Azula!" The cheerful, high pitched voice of Ty Lee had rang in her face, and the girl had outstretched her arms in excitement almost as wide as her big brown eyes. "Zuko sent me! Are you ready for our vacation to Ember Island?" Azula could tell she was daydreaming about the sun and sand as the words left her mouth. She was not in her Kyoshi Warrior uniform, but instead a red crop top with a matching long skirt parted in the middle, absent of any shoes. The outfit was akin to what Azula had remembered her wearing on their last trip all those years before, and she still styled her hair in a standard single braid. 

"Hello, Ty Lee. Yes I'm ready, but let me finish my breakfast first." 

"Okay then." She hummed as she looked around, hand clasped in the other while she tapped her foot as if she were about to pee herself. Azula slowly sat down once again and opted for a bite of her sweet bread. "Okay, let's go! We have to hurry!" Ty Lee tugged hard on Azula's arm before she could even take a second bite. 

"Wait! You can't just let me have a taste and then not let me have the whole thing!" She barely had the chance to grab her bag of things off the bed before she was dragged out of her own room. 

"Come on, we don't have much time! There will be something to eat on the ferry and Zuko's going to be waiting for us." She held Azula's wrist as they hurried along the courtyard, and the energetic girl didn't even seem to notice the scorch marks from an hour before. 

"Ty Lee, I'm still just in my robe! You can't just drag me out of my quarters like this." 

"It doesn't matter, we're going to the tailor to pick out your clothes for the next couple weeks. I bet they're going to have the most beautiful fashion just for you." 

_Two weeks, huh? So that's how long this vacation will be, that seems like a long time. Zuko must be as sick of this place as I am._

"Azula, you look so gorgeous! I haven't seen you wear makeup in a while. Well, you look gorgeous without it but you really did a great job." 

_You're goddamn right I did, I look stunning._ "Yes, I did. I'm surprised you're not wearing your clown makeup. I haven't seen you without it since, well… it's been years actually." 

"We're going on _vacation_ , wouldn't it be silly for me to wear my warrior's garb?" Ty Lee laughed to herself with her signature giggle, and started to frolic even more. 

"Yes, well, I think it's silly regardless, but no matter. I'm still surprised Zuzu is even letting me come on this little get together." She rolled her eyes and took one last at the courtyard before entering inside to pick out her selection of clothes. She thought how maybe this would be the last time she would be here if she could find a way to escape on their vacation. If she felt like it, that is. 

"Zuko said he wouldn't have it any other way, he wasn't gonna just let you stay here all by yourself." 

_I doubt that._

Ty Lee led her to a circular stone walled room where an old man stood, his gray beard falling past his rib cage, and his light yellow robes seemed to be pulling his skeleton-like frame down into a hunch. "Ah yes, Princess Azula. I've been expecting you. Your brother, Fire Lord Zuko, has instructed me to supply you with summer clothes for your time on Ember Island. Of course I've already been informed of your size, so you may pick out anything you like.." The old hunchback had gestured toward a spacious square table covered in a large selection of what seemed to be all bikinis and one pieces. They were all different shades of colors, though none of them bore any interesting patterns, but the selection of solid colors was lengthy nonetheless, and the level of skimpiness was varied from set to set. Behind the table stood a rack with outfits hanging by wiring designed to show every piece of the outfit. Most were multitudes of red, but there were a standout few that were white or gold, and almost all but three of the wardrobe sets would show off Azula's tummy and significant leg. 

"There are so many options for me. Very well, I will take them all." 

The old tailor's mouth dropped open, and Azula thought he might not have the strength to pull it back up. " _All,_ your Majesty? Are you sure?" 

"Yes, absolutely. I figure time is of the essence here, so I shall choose what to wear when I am there and not here. After all, I wouldn't want to leave here unsatisfactory with my choices, would I?" 

"No, of course not your Majesty. Pick a singular outfit to your liking for your departure, and I shall have the rest packed and organized while you ready yourself." 

Azula closely examined the wardrobe sets for what would suit her for today. She was looking to impress, and she ended up choosing a thin see through half top parted in the middle that would lay over a red wrap-around chest covering that did not tighten at the bottom, instead hanging loosely with a matched short skirt and golden sandals. She strayed behind the folded changing divider and slid on her new garments, not even bothering with anything to wear underneath. After revealing herself to Ty Lee, the girl clapped and lightly squealed at Azula's new likeness. "Oooh! You made the right choice Azula, you look so classy and sexy." 

Azula flipped her bangs from in front of her face and lightly smirked at Ty Lee. "You really think so?" 

"Of course. Everything is packed, we should go. All you have to pick out now is the jewelry." The gratified Princess made way to the jewelry case, and rested her polished white nail on her chin before deciding on a golden thick necklace with a black jewel in the middle, a matching set of rhombus shaped earrings that would hang down to her neck, and a golden wavy arm bracelet that was shaped and designed like a snake, it's head and tail formed to an 'S' like curvature. Ty Lee applied her jewelry for her friend, sliding the arm bracelet on her right, and Azula ordered a servant boy in white robes to carry the four bags of clothes that they managed to fit all the pieces in. He followed behind the two girls with a straining effort, sweating from the weight he had to carry alone. "You really made off good Azula. All these outfits look amazing. You definitely have to let me borrow some of them while we're there." The girl cartwheeled in front of Azula for a few paces, most likely giving the servant boy an eyeful of what was underneath her skirt before walking upright again and backwards in front of her. 

"I certainly wouldn't mind, but there might be a problem with that. I don't think any of the tops I got would, er, fit around your bust." Azula had to admit that Ty Lee had certainly grown up in that regard, and what was already filling before was even more plunging now, and especially more noticeable without her armored kimono that hid her figure. 

"Haha you're probably right, I am pretty big. But that might make wearing them even more appealing! Hey you, luggage guy! You're kind of cute, do you think any of those tops would look good on me?" 

The servant boy looked up in surprise that he was even acknowledged, not even fathoming the question. "Who? Me? Uh, er, I really don't. Umm… I don't think it's my place to-" 

Azula cackled and cut off his nasally voice. "Oh give it a rest. At least try to not cream yourself before you're done handling my clothes, will you?" Both girls laughed together, and the boy was left embarrassed and blushed, looking at his feet. To Azula, this had begun to feel like old times, but she couldn't shake the heavy stone in her stomach every time she looked at her childhood friend, and she would vividly remember the day at Boiling Rock, when Ty Lee and Mai had decided to stab her in the back. But what was so pressing in her mind also felt so long ago, and both of them had grown so much since then. Ty Lee may have the heart and attention span of a raccoon dog, but Azula thought if it came down to it, Ty Lee would let her fall to the ground again.

They made way to the side entrance of the palace, where several royal guards stood in two rows of attendance, all holding their long spears. When Azula had come into their view, she could observe their backs straighten akin to the spears, and it was the subtlety of it that made her feel powerful, made her believe she was feared. There at the end of rows of men stood three separate ostrich horse carts, all perfectly lined up ready to depart for the road down to the ferry docks. When Azula had approached their escort, she was taken by surprise at who stood idly by. First she saw the water tribe boy, Sokka, in what seemed to be formal fire nation attire with no sleeves and his hair in a formal knot instead of his hilarious usual ponytail, attending to something on his transport. But what really took her by shock was her Uncle Iroh, standing tall in his white and green Earth Kingdom robes. When the glowing old man noticed his niece arrive, he greeted her in his distinctively resonant voice. 

"Ah, Princess Azula! It is so wonderful to see you in good health. Might I say you are looking astounding on this lovely morning." 

_Oh, great. The royal fool has attended court today._

"Hello, uncle. Zuzu didn't tell me that you would be attending our trip with us." 

"Oh no! I am not going to Ember Island with you. No, Fire Lord Zuko has requested that I be interim ruler for the Fire Nation while he is away." 

_Thank the fucking spirits._

"Oh, I see. I guess this will be your one chance to be the head of our nation ever since my father rightfully took the throne from under you." The thought of her uncle crowned Fire Lord made her laugh internally at the thought of every Fire Nation peasant wearing Earth Kingdom attire after losing the war miserably from such incompetent leadership. 

"Yes, speaking of my brother, I might have to see him while I am here. I understand he doesn't get many visitors nowadays." 

Azula scowled at the remark, and was waiting eagerly to depart already. She did not mince the enmity in her voice. "Try not to run down our supply of food and tea while we're gone, and don't make any brash decisions that will cripple our economy in the meantime." She put her hand on her hip and pouted her lips, and she thought how that might actually be a real situation they would have to deal with upon their return. If she returned.

"Hey, last time I interimed for your brother as Fire Lord, I think I did pretty good. I declared a National Tea Day, and it was a hit with the populace!" Iroh certainly had a hefty laugh, but Azula seemed all but amused. Her attention was brought elsewear when she heard a loud clap, and she realized all of the guards standing in formation had pounded the bottom of their spears into the dirt, creating small dust clouds to address their ruler as he arrived. Fire Lord Zuko was walking along with what appeared to be Azula's precious former prisoner, Suki, and also a girl she assumed was the Earth Kingdom woman named Jin on his left. She looked somewhat similar to Ty Lee. Her wide cheeks and large but simple smile were soft and welcoming, and her great eyes housed deep green gems that matched her formal Earth Kingdom kimono with leaf like golden patterns, and a yellow sash that covered her midsection. Her hair was done up, a dark brown with a poofy ponytail in the back. Her skin had the sheen of olive, but nowhere near the shade of the water tribe boy's. Even Azula had to admit she was of the gorgeous variety. When they met the end of the line of soldiers, Suki, in an outfit similar to Ty Lee's but with pantlegs, had made her way to Sokka, and they embraced in a small hug before linking in each other's arms from the side. Zuko was still laughing with the girl as they approached Iroh, their smiles wide, and Azula could see the peasant he was with at least had nice teeth. Zuko was in his standard Fire Lord robes, a bright scarlet with a golden sash to match the robe's trim draped around his neck flatly running down his shoulders, his fire emblem headpiece shining brightly in the sun's rays, and he was the first to greet his sister. 

"Good morning, Azula. You're looking good today. I hope this wasn't too early for you." When he saw her, she had looked just as she did seven years ago, so young and eager for power, and he didn't know how he felt about it. 

"Hello, Zuzu. It took you long enough to arrive. Though I suppose it takes effort to look as good and formal as a Fire Lord should. Took some time to powder your scar?" Her words shut his grin, and she took delight in her playful jab. 

"Ohhh, so you're Azula? Zuko talks about how he has a beautiful younger sister. He says you're probably the most powerful firebender in the world." Azula was taken away slightly by the formality and kind words. 

"Well both those things are absolutely true. I am the successful one of the family after all, even if Zuzu won't care to admit it. And I've been told your name is Jin, of the Earth Kingdom? And which line of nobles do you come from?" Azula could make her voice sound delicate when she needed it to be. 

_What else has this whore heard about me?_

"Yes, haha, my name is Jin. I'm from Ba Sing Se, I currently study at the University in the Upper Ring. I don't come from any nobles, I'm just a commoner, as they say." Her giggles were full of life, enjoyment of the moment she was in, and her eyes had a shine like quality to them. Maybe she was a commoner, but she could pass as high society if Azula weren't so good at recognizing falsehoods. It was clear she had no idea how to step into the fancy rags Zuzu had obviously provided for her.

"So tell me, how did you two meet exactly?" She was curious how this mysterious Jin could ever find herself standing in the midst of the Fire Nation Royal Palace. 

"Oh, I used to stop for tea at the tea shop Zuko, well I knew him as Lee then, and Iroh had been serving at and we started talking. Of course back then, I had no idea about his royal lineage. He kept very close to himself, as they say." She pinched his arm and had a big grin for him, and little Zuzu seemed embarrassed. 

"Yes, Zuzu has always had his secrets that he keeps close to him. Well brother, do you remember the last time we were both in Ba Sing Se? Quite an event to remember, don't you think? But I won't bore your new squeeze with dramatics, I must go see if my things have been secured properly on my carriage. It was nice meeting you, Jin!" She held the spit venom on the back of her teeth, and it was made obvious here how Zuko was never fond of Azula's teasing, especially now with his grimace showing exactly how he felt. When she walked over to her cart, the first of the convoy, the servant handling her luggage was sweaty and heaving from attaching her bags to the back, securing them in a box that sat behind their seats. When he dropped himself from the carriage, he turned and was immediately met by a beaming Ty Lee, her arms clasped behind her back and her left toes digging in the dirt. 

"Hey, I really meant it when I said you were cute, you should hit me up when I come back to the palace. I really know how to have a good time." The boy looked around in shock, stumbling on his words as he quickly looked from side to side. When he was met with Azula's piercing yellow eyes, he let out an awkward yell and stormed off back into the palace, almost as if he were Avatar Aang using his air bending to propel himself forward. "That's weird. He must be into men or something.." 

"Maybe so. I'd have to admit that you're much too easy though. You may have a background in circus affairs, but you still come from a noble family. You could do much better. So, where's your stuff, Ty Lee?" 

She put both hands on her hips and closed her eyes as she once again widened her glossy lips. "Already packed! I'm ready to go!" 

Zuko and Jin continued to stand next to Iroh who rested his hands on his great belly, and Jin seemed to especially enjoy his company. 

"Thank you so much Iroh, for letting me take time off from the shop to let me come see your nephew. I'm really glad you reunited us. It's been a fun couple of days, and it's about to get even more interesting!" Jin nuzzled up on Zuko's powerful shoulder, and he took delight in her closeness. 

"Anything for my best employee and a lover of tea. You have worked so hard on your studies, I am sure you are in need of a long break now that summer is upon us. I am absolutely certain Fire Lord Zuko will treat you to a great time." He placed his hand on her arm as if she were one of his own. "Do not worry, my nephew. The new Fire Lord Iroh will make sure things are kept up and running. And I'm going to make sure the men and women in your palace are brushed up on their Pai Sho skills!" 

"Haha, we'll be back before you know it, Uncle. My guard will escort you back to your chambers. I love you, we'll have a lot to discuss when I return." 

Iroh gave them both a long hug, and slowly trekked his way back down the line of guards with one breaking off to walk alongside the old man. Iroh leaned over to him, his hand covering the other side of his mouth and he whispered to the soldier. "The tea here is absolutely terrible! We're going to make some drastic changes around here." If iroh could be met with an expression from the blank face of the guard's helmet, it would be a puzzled one. 

Azula walked back up to her brother in a ditzy fashion, and asked him a question in the most coy voice she could convincingly use. "Oh Zuzu, I was wondering if while we're gone, if maybe I could have a few, oh say, renovations done to my room? Just some little improvements I think would spice the place up." She wanted to make him think she intended on coming back to the palace, and if she possibly did end up deciding to stay, she would at least arrive to a few upgrades to her living space.

Zuko wasn't expecting the question, but he replied nonchalantly to it. "Sure, what is it you want?" 

"Oh, I just wanted a bigger tub to relax in, and a mirror on the ceiling above my bed. And maybe a glass window above my desk across from my door?" 

"Alright, I'll have it passed to the architects for you." 

"Thank youuuu, big brother! You really are the best." Zuko rolled his eyes. To him, Azula's playful tone was grating to his ears. He was about to ask Jin something before Ty Lee had cartwheeled over to where they were standing, followed by Sokka and Suki.

"Are we all ready to head out?" Suki asked with a grin, tugging on the small ponytail from the pulled back top of her auburn hair. 

"I think we are all set." Zuko gestured for everyone to climb aboard their respective carriages, and they were off. Zuko and Jin were in the middle cart, sitting close together, with Sokka and Suki doing the same behind them. Azula and Ty Lee had sat on opposite sides of their little compartment to give each other leg room while they both rested their feet across from each other. Azula had noticed her companion's legs after her skirt fell in between the seats, and she noted how strong and firm they were, so tight even in a relaxed state. After a few minutes of Ty Lee detailing her plans for when they arrive, something that Azula had forgotten about the second the words left the girls mouth, the greatly tired Fire Nation Princess had declared that she would nod off for the rest of the ride to the ferry, and in only a couple short moments to the rocking of their transport on the graveled path, she was out like a light.

Azula had sat upright, her knees buried in a soft cushion with blue frames proceeding down to her left and right. She could see her fine robes were almost melted into her skin, and she brushed her hand up her hanging locks to eventually feel the spikes of the famed headpiece. In front of her, a procession of Dai Li agents stood along the row of pillars, all bathed in a purplish light leading to a decorated box of gold and white and fancy linens, and there stood a Fire Sage priest. The words hit like a hymn, so relaxed and seemingly practiced. 

"Grandson of Fire Lord Sozin, now passed. Son of Fire Lord Azulon and Fire Lady Ilah, both now passed. Younger brother of Fire Lord Iroh, now passed. Husband of Ursa, now passed. Father of Zuko, now passed. Father of Azula. After your long reign, we lay you to rest." When the box was ignited, the room filled with smoke unable to be seen through. The procession disappeared, and all that stood was a black figure with a cartoonish head of blue and white, a strangely familiar presence she knew from a forgotten memory. The figure cocked it's head, and Azula knew there was something off about this whole thing. 

"Well, don't just stand there! Take care of this intruder!" She yelled as the figure unsheathed duel swords, and in an instant all of the heads of her untouched Dai Li agents rolled to the ground, their lifeless bodies collapsing into the puddles of blood around them. The man made a quick dash, vanishing into the smoky air around him. Azula stood up, looking around the throne room for the assailant, but everything lay undisturbed. Before she could react to the gust of wind behind her, she felt the quick flash of crossed steel rest against her exposed neck, and was met with an all too familiar voice. 

"If you don't want to end up like them, you'll do as I say..." 

Azula felt a tug on her knee. She was startled awake in her seat, and she looked down the opened door to see the girl Suki standing before her. She rubbed her eyes in the strong sunlight, and it took a second for her vision to clear. 

"Azula, wake up. We're here, everything of yours is already loaded onto the ferry. Ty Lee didn't want to wake you." She looked out past the dirt road and lush green field, and saw the cove of crystal blue water, holding only a single dock with the smallish ferry resting on the calm surface. Azula jumped out, grabbing her white sack and slung it over her shoulder as she followed Suki down to their departure point. She could make out Zuko helping Jin onto the side of the boat, making careful effort that she wasn't allowed to fall as they walked up the ramp single file. When she stepped foot onto the deck of their new mode of transport, she came to the conclusion that it was the very same ferry that had taken them to Ember Island years before, though it had not aged any more than in her memory. The cart drivers left after carrying their luggage, and the only other people on the boat were the captain who had already headed to his wheel on the level above, and only three guards to protect the Fire Lord. 

Standing idly by herself in the middle of the deck while everyone else mingled, Azula decided to approach the water tribe boy Sokka and Suki as the awkwardness got to her. 

"It seems we haven't greeted each other, Sokka. Was our last meeting really all that too much sour for you?" 

Sokka sipped the cup in his hand and shook his shoulders. "Well considering the last time you were around you had tried to kill all of us, I wouldn't hesitate to say that. Or was that the second to last time? Or third to last time? Actually, I think it was every time. Yep, you definitely did have kind of a thing for ending our lives." 

" _Oh, Sokka._ You'll forgive Mai and Ty Lee and brooding Zuzu, but you don't have the heart to forgive little old me for all the evil I've done? I'm hurt. It was all _so long ago._ " Azula put her hands behind her back and tilted her chin like she was a child asking for forgiveness, and Sokka just rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth. 

"Hey I'm just here to have a good time and spend a vacation with my friends. I really don't mind you here if Zuko wanted you to come. Just don't antagonize me. And if there's anyone you should be asking forgiveness for, it's Suki, since you know, you attacked her friends and threw her in prison and messed with her while she was there." 

Suki spoke up in her soft voice and flashed a reassuring smile. "Oh, it's really okay. I know what the war has done to everyone. It was over five years ago. I think I can give Azula some slack for all the things that happened. Plus ever since you've been back at the palace, you've just been keeping to yourself and not causing any trouble anyway. If Zuko can trust you, then his top protector can, too." 

"That's really considerate of you, Suki. I'm humbled by your understanding. Zuzu is truly lucky to have you as his protection. So, how are you two lovebirds planning on spending your time on your first visit to Ember Island?" 

"Oh, actually, Suki and I have been before. It's one of the places we hid at after you kind of blew up the Western Air Temple. Right under the nose of the Fire Lord himself, you know? Yeah when we were there, we all saw a play about us, and the actress who played you was absolutely spot on, it was uncanny." 

"Play about me, you say? Now you have my curiosity." _Someone is going to be turned into smouldering ash for this._

"Yeahhhh, in the end you ended up burning Zuko and Ozai killed Aang and everyone clapped and cheered. Oh, and Toph was a man. Crazy if that would have actually ended up happening, right? Am I right?! Hehe, hehe, ehhhhh…" Sokka's face ended up in a droopy expression. 

"Sounds interesting. I do wonder what would have happened if everything had gone in my favor during the war… Oh well, no point in dwelling on it now. Anyways, I'm going to go see what Ty Lee is eyeing at the food table." Azula slyly made her way over to her friend, where she was stuffing her face with treats, and Sokka and Suki gave each other a look while shrugging their shoulders.

"Careful, Ty Lee. All that food goes straight to your legs, and you wouldn't want to ruin your perfect physique." 

Ty Lee looked over, mouth still flooded with sugary food, and she gargled her response. "Perfect?" 

Azula examined the table laden with trays of various fruits, beverages, and sugary triscuits. She unintentionally rubbed her belly, remembering how Ty Lee had kept her from even slightly digging in to the breakfast she had requested. 

"You should try these biscuits, Azula. They're so yummy!" 

"I am pretty hungry…" She bit the tip off of one in a small chomp, savoring the sugary texture. The custard that Zuko had brought her last night and this were really the only desserts she had indulged in for a long while, as she had worked hard to maintain her body and energy. It was rather easy for a monarch to laze around their palace with no ambition for health or hard work. 

_I imagine uncle has already taken to consuming all our sweets by now._

There was a series of loud splashes, and Azula along with everyone else had moved to the side of the boat to see what was the commotion. They all witnessed a school of flying dolphin fish, about six, and their pink wings gracefully allowing them to glide over the ocean water. 

"Wow! That's amazing!" Jin exclaimed. After the spectacle had subsided, Zuko had offered Jin to come see the manatee whales pulling the ferry in the front, and the two peasants had gone below deck for for some mischievous reason, leaving Azula to rest her arms on the side of their boat, pondering at the sight of the sea. She retrieved the small cigarette case from her bag and lit one with her fingers before Ty Lee had walked up to lean next to her. 

"I didn't know you smoked, Azula. When did you start doing that?" 

"Just a habit I picked up from the mental asylum." She took a deep puff and exhaled, but barely any smoke was let out. "It was the only bit of fire they would ever let me control. I learned to regulate the smoke, distribute it through my body and feed my chi. The place you and Zuko tried to keep me in was hell you know."

Ty Lee looked at her with a guilty expression. "We just didn't want you to hurt anyone Azula. You know how dangerous you got there in the end." 

"You threw me in there without a second thought!" Her voice was low and exasperated.

"And you threw me in prison to rot without a second thought!" 

Ty Lee was met with fury in Azula's yellow eyes. "You betrayed me! I gave you everything, and you threw it all away all because Mai had gone lovesick for a traitor!" 

Azula was fuming, and Ty Lee could see there was much rage and fire spreading through her aura quickly, but she had to bite back. "Mai was in love, and you were going to hurt her! You were going to let Zuko die! Your own brother! You didn't even care. People who have shown me the utmost kindness since then would be dead if we hadn't intervened! And for what? Because we were on different sides? The side we picked was wrong and dirty and deranged, and I tried to stop you from doing something terrible without hurting you." 

"Without hurting me?! You think you didn't hurt me? You think I didn't feel pain when your dagger went through my back, when I fell to the ground in utter disbelief at you going against me?!" Azula hadn't noticed that her cigarette was burning in a spitting rage. 

"I was just trying to do what I felt was right at the time. And I still am. And I really should thank you. Because of what happened, I figured out what was the correct thing for me to do. Right now, I think that despite everything you've done, it's right for me to be there for you, to be your friend. No matter how much you hate it. Because I don't want you to get lost again. I don't want you to turn your back on the people who care. You did everything for your father, and he didn't care, he just wanted results. He just wanted a weapon. And he got what he wanted. But the war is over now, Azula. We don't need to fight anymore. We can just be now. We can get on with our lives. Will you walk with me, and not fight me every step of the way? Please? I don't care about the insults you still throw at me. I don't care how much hatred you have towards me. I just want to see you happy. And I know you're not happy. I'm not going to just leave you behind!" 

Azula had a shocked look on her face, she didn't know how heated Ty Lee would get about this. All she could do was look down at her feet, and nod her head, even if she didn't agree. Ty Lee came in close and clung to her, holding her tight and rubbing the back of her head, and Azula's face was buried in her shoulder as the girl stood taller nowadays. "I'm always here for you Azula. I love you, and I won't stop caring for you." 

When they detached, Azula leaned on the railing again, putting in maximum effort to hold back tears that she would kill anybody who saw. She promised herself long ago she would never cry again. "Just let me be alone, for a little while." Her friend nodded in understanding and let her be. Azula noticed that her cigarette had been eaten up by the flame, burning at her fingers but she felt nothing, and she tossed it into the ocean. The ferry ride to the island couldn't get any longer for her. 

After a couple hours, the ferry had finally met its destination at Ember Island. The familiar scent of sea water meeting sand had hit Azula's nose, and she laid her eyes on the barren beach. It's edges followed bends and twists, and she could see the smooth sand breached by the attacking waves. What was it that Lo and Li had said those years before to Azula and the others? She could hear their raspy voices so clearly now. 'Like waves washing away the footprints on the sand, Ember Island gives everyone a clean slate, Ember Island reveals the true you.' 

_They don't want to see the true me._

Azula's eyes traced the jagged rocks and boulders that led to the thick forest of exotic trees, and she could see the lines of smoke high in the air coming from the more populated portions of the island. Servants had come to greet them and carry their things, and it was a small walk from the dock and across the beach to the Fire Lord's compound. 

Suki had caught up next to Zuko and Jin, and the young Kyoshi Warrior was remembering the feeling of the beaming sun and the road of the crashing waves, and the singing of birds and their coos had calmed her even more than she already was. "So Zuko, how come there's like nobody here? It seems almost abandoned, uninhabited."

"This section of the island is owned by the royal family, and this strip of the beach is off limits to the public. My estate covers a larger area here now, so we won't be disturbed by anyone unless you go to the other side of the island. The public portion isn't too far from here. The only people you'll see here are a few royal guards."

Azula had speeded up next to the three to the left of Zuko, close but keeping a small distance. "So Zuzu, what did you do with the place after the entire building and forest nearby burned down completely? I hope we're not staying in some huts like the savages from Sokka's village." 

Zuko and Sokka squinted their eyes at her, Zuko keeping his gaze for a few seconds longer until he answered the question. "I had a whole new complex built. Three buildings total, lots of open space." When the group reached the foot of the hill, they could clearly tell the ground and hill had been manipulated by earth benders. It appeared flattened, the dirt path leading up to it smoothed and made easily traversable with a few sets of stone steps placed every so often along the walkway. At the very top stood a two story square building, made of white stone and topped with red clay tile. In the front, there was a stairway leading to a deck on the second floor with little umbrellas for shade and sunbathing. Behind the building stood another that was aesthetically very similar, with another one story building behind the two, all connected by a courtyard in the middle with stone pavement and a small well enclosed by pillars along the perimeter topped with a tiled open roof. 

The group finally climbed to the top of the path, walking past wooden log benches around a bricked off fire pit at the bottom. The path they climbed was lined with palm trees, leaving it covered in scattered leaves and every few steps were dropped round fruits collapsed in from their fall. Ty Lee had done a small cartwheel when they stood in front of the main building, taking in the sight when she was on her feet again. "Wow, this is so pretty! It's so fancy and pristine." 

Sokka examined the walls and structure with his hand resting on his chin. "Yeah Zuko, you've even got actual glass for the windows, that's not very common at all." 

"It's easy to make nowadays with the precision of earth benders and the heat of firebenders. Shall I show you all inside?" They nodded in an audible agreement as their Fire Lord showed them through the fine wooden door, and they were brought into a cozy living area with two comfortable couches forming an 'L' around a square table, and behind those couches was a brick pillar connected to a bar with chairs and a kitchen that stood inside the open frame, racked with various shelves that housed spices and cutlery tools. This particular part of the building only had one window facing the courtyard, and in the middle was a dangling chandelier with lit candles. Jin wrapped her arm around Zuko's waist and took in every detail of the room. 

"Wow, Zuko. It's so romantic and perfect. You did really good." Zuko smirked at her while her head rested close to his, and he could see her glossy eyes were captivated by the atmosphere.

"Thank you, though all I really did was hire some top architects, they had most of the ideas, I just funded it all." He turned to the rest of the group and nodded. "I'm having all of your things be brought to your rooms. Jin and I will be staying in this building upstairs. Sokka and Suki, you guys will have your room in the building next door on the ground level. Ty Lee and Azula, you two will have separate rooms on the second floor of that building. The property out behind the courtyard is a spa that everyone can use. It has a sauna room, and also some workers who can give you professional massages and mud baths during the daytime, if you'd like that. Your rooms should be prepared with your things within the hour. Until then, everyone is free to do whatever they want." 

Azula dropped her bag on the couch and stretched her arms with a yawn. "I hope you had the courtesy of giving me the most expansive lodging, I really do require the extra room." Everyone just stared at her blankly, and the living space was filled with silence. "What? I am the Fire Nation Princess after all, and I will not go out of my way to demand the treatment I deserve." 

Sokka stuck his finger in the air matter-of-factly and raised his chin. "You know, Azula actually has a point. Where else would she be able to store that giant ego of hers?" Everyone besides Jin erupted in laughter, with Sokka being the loudest, and Azula was unsurprisingly not amused. 

_You're going to regret staying in the same building as me._

"So, Sokka, should we go on a long walk across the beach, explore the island a bit, sweetie?" Suki placed her gentle hand on his hip and smiled at him warmly. As he agreed, Ty Lee tapped her finger on Azula's shoulder to catch her attention. 

"Ooh ooh, Azula! Let's go to the marketplace!! We can start our vacation off with some extensive shopping and see if there's anything cute there!" Azula thought it over, and realized it really had been a long time since she was around people who were not palace servants, and around people who did not know who she was, ready to bow at her command, nonetheless. 

"Alright, that sounds fun, I'll admit. Let's go!" I'm a matter of a moment Sokka, Suki, and Ty Lee left out the door, and Zuko stopped Azula before she waltzed through, hanging her a leather bag. "What's this?" 

"A purse, filled with coins so you can buy whatever you please and carry it, this should be enough to buy the whole marketplace, honestly. I don't think I have to tell you like I'll have to tell sokka to please not buy any random pets." When she opened the pouch, she saw what seemed to be a whole bank's worth of gold coins, shiny and new straight from the treasury. 

_I've never had to use currency to buy anything before. I could always just… have it. Even when I was in the Earth Kingdom I just stole what I needed to survive._

Azula followed Ty Lee across the beach to reach the marketplace. Neither girl said really much of anything on the way there, and Azula could feel the slight tension. The girls passed many people and families on the public part of the island, and Azula could see hoards of people in between the rows of stands when they finally reached the town. There were various fruits and vegetables, and the smell of sizzling meat tempted Azula's nostrils, but she determined she was not hungry anymore due to exhaustion. Ty Lee was already staring wide eyed at a jewelry stand, and she handed a coin to the vendor, slipping on her new golden wrist covering in the process. 

"Ty Lee, shouldn't you, I don't know, maybe look around first before you buy stuff?" The girl had a smile wider than the open blue sky above them. 

"Who cares?! Zuko's paying for all of this anyway." 

"Very true." Azula turned to the stand, crossing her arms. "Vendor, I will take two of what she had, now!" She demanded in her harshest tone. 

"Sorry, little lady. That was the last one. We have other options that should surely satisfy your tastes though." 

Azula's eyes tightened, and there was a presence of fury that could rip through anyone who lay eyes on her expression. "I'm sorry, did I stutter? _I said,_ that I will take two of what she got. I don't like to repeat myself, _ever._ "

The man was sweating needles, and tried to give a genuine smile. "Let me see what I have in the back." In a few moments the vendor returned from the back of his small tent, and produced two of the same golden wrist coverings. Azula held out her palm, awaiting for the man to give her the jewelry. "Umm, you're going to, have to, uh pay for these…" 

Azula opened one of her closed eyes and looked over the man's nervous face. "Oh yes, I shall pay you now, with my money." She reached into her purse that Zuko had given her and dropped a small handful of gold coins into the man's hand. 

"Ma'am, this is more than what these co-" 

"Will you stop wasting my time with petty details and just hand the fucking merchandise over?!" The man gasped in fear, doing as he was ordered before biting a coin for a test of authenticity and speedily disappearing behind the waist-high display front. Azula looked around for Ty Lee, but she had already run off to another stand, this time appearing to be one exclusively for earrings. The two girls had wandered the grounds for a while, with Azula neglecting to buy anything else as nothing grabbed her interest. 

Azula strayed off from Ty Lee, and observed the magnificent light colored building that stood before her. 

"What's this place?" Ty Lee questioned, turning up behind Azula with a new white dress and top in hand. Azula continued to look up, taking in the entire structure. 

"It's where the Ember Island Players perform all of their plays. Mother always opted to go, dragging Father and Zuzu and I along with her every year we came here. It was all drivel if you ask me." _If this place wasn't vacant, I would go in and tell them exactly how I feel about that dramatic portrayal of me the water tribe idiot was yapping on about._

Suddenly a memory of displays and theatrics hit her, and in the faint image that painted her mind, she made out a familiar character, a blue mask with empty eyes….

"Oh, sounds fun! Well anyway, I found this outfit, and they said I could use the changing stalls somewhere around here to see if it fit, and if it didn't I could return it. So I'm gonna go do that and use the bathroom. Wait for me here?" Azula nodded and continued getting lost in her thoughts. She sat down on a small bench, leaning back and watching the theatre to her left, almost falling asleep. After a few moments passed, she felt a kick on her leg. And another, and the pounding would not go away. 

"Ty Lee, do you really feel the need to…" she looked over, but failed to notice anyone in front of her until she looked down and saw a small child, clumsily standing at her shin. He had to have only been a little older than a toddler, and his finger was on the brink of breaking into the entrance of his snotty nose. He wore a red headband around his black hair, and he would not stop gazing at her, as if she were a shiny object.

"Umm, you're reallyyyy pretty, Miss Lady." 

"Err… I know, thanks I guess." Azula was feeling more awkward than the lonely child. 

"I can't find my mommy, and I scraped my leg real bad." He pointed to his knee, and it was bloodied and fresh with gravel, and he had an obvious limp. "Can you help me find her?" She looked at the child for a few seconds, before deciding what to do about the runt.

"Well, alright. I guess you're kind of cute. You don't have to be scared, I'll help you." Azula stood up and walked forward, peering over her shoulder to motion him to come along. 

"I can't walk! It hurts! Badly." 

Azula scoffed, but gave in. "Alright, fine." She picked the boy up, resting his hip against her chest and slowly rocked him up and down. "what does your mother look like?"

"She's tall, and very pretty like you. And she has black hair, and she's wearing a red dress." Azula scoped out the marketplace, profiling all the women busling about their day. 

_Way to be descriptive, child. That pretty much describes every woman here._

She carried him between the stalls, telling him to keep an eye out as he tugged on her hair. The boy finally cooed and cawed, pointing frantically. Azula looked in the direction he was clawing at. "Did you find her? Where is she?" 

"No no! Look! Heroes! Heroes!" She saw he was lasered in on one of the stands, lined with colorful toys and streamers. When she approached the display, she was absolutely taken by shock, and her eyes narrowed. 

In neat little rows stood tiny likenesses in wood of her brother Zuko, fake fire in hand, along with Fire Nation soldiers. She saw that there was the same for the Avatar, and what seemed to be Suki in her warrior's outfit, and a half sized miniature earth bending girl with the foul mouth. She couldn't believe it. Her peers had been staring back at her soullessly in crude detail, and she reached out to touch the scar of her brother.

"I want one, I want one, please please please! Pretty lady will you get one?" 

"Oh alright, just stop nagging." She flagged down the vendor, an old wrinkly type man with an almost creepy smile. "You, I shall take two imbeciles, two clowns, and one of each peasant." 

"I'm sorry?" 

"Oh, sorry. I shall clarify for your tiny brain. I'll take two Fire Lord's, two clowns, and one of each of the rest."

The man boomed in an auctioneer's voice, loudly repeating her purchase to advertise to anyone nearby that his wares were worth the coin. "Alrighty, we got two Fire Lord Zuko's, two Oshinama fighters, an Avatar, one Tough, and a soldier!" 

Azula dropped a weight of coins in his hand, much to his surprise. "Lady this is way more than what-" 

"How many vendors are going to pester me with useless banter today?! Just take the money already!" She growled with the kid still in her arms, but he could not care less as his attention was still on the rows of little colorful figures.

"Of course!" The vendor eagerly handed her all she had requested, and she put a Zuzu and Suki in her bag before giving the rest to the young boy, who was now chanting with glee. 

"You found him! Oh my spirits thank you so much! I was so worried!" A tired looking young woman came waltzing over to Azula yelling, and took her child from the Princess's arms. 

"Mommy, this nice lady bought me all the heroes! She saved me!" The boy proudly held up his new companions, and the woman looked a nervous wreck as she smiled at Azula.

"Wow, that is so very kind of you, you didn't have to do that! You look extremely wealthy and important, so thank you so much for finding my boy. We'll have to get his little knee looked at." She sheepishly thanked her, out of breath and out of patience. 

"It really wasn't any trouble. I hope he'll be okay."

"I told you not to run away from me, Zuko! You have to stay by me, you're lucky this fine lady had watched out for you!" 

Azula was suddenly startled, and her mouth dropped wide open. "Wait, what did you call him?" 

"Oh, his name is Zuko! We named him after the new Fire Lord, the prosperous son. We wanted him to take after the Fire Lord who brought peace and ended the war." 

She looked at the young kid, seeing his innocence and newfound calmness before turning her head to leave. "I have to go." Azula huddled away as the boy waved his goodbyes, and she eventually caught a familiar view of an opening into the nearby jungle adjacent to the edge of the marketplace, and she ducked into the dark hole surrounded by large leaves. 

"Azula, where are you?! Azula? Where did you go?" Ty Lee came looking around the theatre, but couldn't see her friend. After a moment of walking, she saw Azula run through an opening into the jungle, and she disappeared, and Ty Lee decided to follow.

"Azula, where are you? Come on out! This isn't funny." The ground was crisp and crunched with each step, and the orchestrated hum of birds and crickets was broken by the howling screams of Azula's name. "Azula, come on." 

"I'm right here, Dum Dum." There Azula stood, picking at her long sleeves and digging her boots into the ground. "You totally didn't see me. I could've been an assassin waiting to strike you, and you would be in a pool of blood right now, ya know." 

"This isn't funny, Azula. Mom told us not to run off, she's probably worried sick." Zuko stood with a sour expression, sweat lining his forehead.

"Who cares, Zuzu? We never have any fun here, the market is so boring. It's just a bunch of dumb clothes and stupid toys. Mom won't even let us look at the sharp weapons." Azula was annoyed by her brother's deep but youthful voice, but she certainly took pleasure in his paranoia. "Come on, let's look around. Maybe there's something worth finding here." 

Zuko followed his sister as she peered behind every tree and bush. This went on for a while, until she was ready to call it a day and go back. 

"Azula look, it's a dragon! A baby dragon!" She looked over to her brother observing a reptile near a small muddy pond clustered with algae. She casually walked up to him while he lay his stomach on the ground, his face inches from the creature. 

"That's not a dragon, Dum Dum. That's a frog lizard, and it's not a baby. Don't you ever pay attention in your animal studies?" Azula kicked the frog lizard with extreme force, causing it to croak weakly and fly into the air, plopping into the pond with a harsh splash.

"Azula, why would you do that?! It didn't do anything to you!" 

Azula smirked and laughed, tempted to kick his face next. "Come on, let's go see what else we can find. And no dumb animals, Zuzu." 

They continued through the thickness of the trees and tall plants that stood higher than them until Azula stopped, pointing at a branch above. "Look! Someone left something here." There was a silver necklace hanging from the far end of the branch, glittering from what little light seeped through the canopy of the tree tops. "Help me up on the branch. I want to get it." 

"What? No, Azula, you could get hurt." 

"Shut up and just lift me up already. I'm not gonna ask again. You're my big brother, you're supposed to help me." 

"Ugh, fine." He got into a crouching position with his palm out, and boosted her up soon as her muddy foot touched his fingers. He wiped his dirty hand on the side of his pants and looked up as she crawled across the length of the tree limb, her large golden medallions for eyes focused on her prize. 

Suddenly a sing-song voice rang out in the forest from where they came. "Zuko? Azula? Zuko? Azula, baby!! Where are you?" Their mother's call came to a stop when she saw young Zuko standing in the middle of the forest, with her daughter not in sight. "Zuko, there you are! Where's your sister?" Suddenly Azula lost her grip as she tried to grab the necklace, and her legs failed to grip the slicked sides of the limb, causing her to fall on the ground hip first. 

"Azula! Are you okay?" Ursa picked up her little girl and held her tight, looking into her youthful eyes. 

"My knee hurts!" Azula complained, and Ursa rubbed the back of her head, letting her locks of hair sift through her fingers, trying to calm her baby. 

"It's okay, we'll get you looked at soon. We don't want father to have to be concerned about this." She looked down at her oldest, and he peered up at her, taking in her beauty and warming composure, teeth grated together in a worrisome look. "You were supposed to be watching after your little sister, not wander off where I couldn't find you with her." 

Zuko looked around him, and stomped his foot on the ground in a tantrum. "I'm done with this nonsense!" And he bolted off away from them as fast as the wind. 

"Zuko, stop!" Ursa put down Azula and pressed on her shoulder. "Don't you move from this spot!" Ursa chased after her son as fast as her formal robes would allow her, leaving little Azula behind in the middle of the forest. 

"Mom? Mom? Come back!" Azula shouted and growled, and she sent a cloud of orange flame at the trunk of the tree she had been climbing on. The fire did not stick, but left a layer of char on the bark, cracking it's hardened outer shell. 

Ty Lee crept through the trees, looking for any sign of her friend. "Azula?" Ty Lee stopped when she found her a few meters ahead of her, her knees planted in the ground near a tiny pond that was dried out as she cried into her hands, and the muffled sobs took Ty Lee by surprise. Her voice was filled with suffering, and she was nearly choking as she sucked her breaths back in involuntarily. Ty Lee watched for a minute before speaking up. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Get away from me!" Azula swung out her arm with a wave of blue fire following it. Her cheeks were caked in tears, and her eye makeup had begun to fall into black stains. 

"Azula, tell me what's wrong." The desperate attack did not deter her, as she made way to the sobbing Princess and wrapped her arms around her, letting her warmth surround her. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay. Just let it all out. You're with me now. I won't judge you." Eventually Azula calmed down, and Ty Lee had a near broken heart from the sight.

"Do you want to talk about it?" 

"No."

"That's okay. Let's just get out of here. This place is giving me the creeps."

Azula stood up, and walked over past the pond into the trees. 

"Where are you going?" 

Azula stopped, and brushed her fingers against a large black spot on a tree trunk. She glanced up at the branches above, and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Using her incredible agility, she jumped up the side of the tree, leaving her bag at the base of the trunk, and started hopping from limb to limb as she scaled up to the top of the forest. 

"Hey! What are you doing?" Ty Lee was more than confused by the whole situation, but decided to follow her up. She was even more agile than Azula, and as if it were a race, she was only a foot down from her as the determined Princess had made it to the top. She found out that the tree she was on was the tallest of the entire forest, and also what seemed to be the center of the biome. Ty Lee latched onto the other side of the tip, and took in the view as well. "Wow, this looks so amazing. No wonder you came up here. How did you know?" 

"I didn't." Time went by as the clouds drifted in the distance and the flocks of tropical birds danced in unison, leaving a sort of serenity within Azula. As her legs tired and she readied herself to come down, the branch that held to the bottom of her foot had snapped, and she plunged face forward down to the ground. She screamed as she dodged the tree limbs and bunches of leaves, leaving herself amazingly unscathed as she panicked on how to brace for impact. She opened her mouth, taking in a fluctuation of air into her lungs as she pushed out with her diaphragm, creating a cone of red fire that started in her belly to her mouth on a whim, and it was massive enough to levitate her as it touched the ground. Eventually her energy gave out, and she plopped down into the earth, dirt rubbing onto her face, and she noticed her new wrist coverings were streaked with mud. Azula did not anticipate her day going like this, and she had left the palace with no expectations. Ty Lee had scurried down the massive tree, running towards the poor girl. 

"Azula! Are you okay?" She placed her hand on her shoulder blade, examining her body for any abnormal bends or cuts. Ty Lee thought how her skin was still perfect despite the dirt, and she had retained a certain shining quality to herself.

"I'm fine. My fire breath broke my fall." Azula pushed herself up, and looked at the forest ahead of her. She rose to her feet and brushed off as much as she could off of her body, and grabbed her coin bag. "Let's just get the hell out of here. I want to go back to the lodge." The girls traversed in utter silence again as they had when heading towards the market, only this time they had no idea where to go. No matter, the island wasn't huge by any means. Most people who had participated in the various activities Ember Island had to offer didn't live here as there was little room, and they came from other nearby land masses, making the ferries a profitable endeavor for those looking to make a living here. When they had finally found the edge of the jungle forest, they happened upon the beach and calm ocean. 

"Ty Lee, get down!" Azula grabbed the surprised girl and hid her and herself behind a fallen tree on the edge. 

"What, what's wrong?" Ty Lee peered around, looking for danger, but Azula had covered her mouth and gestured a finger over her own. 

"Shhhh. Look, over there by that fishing dock in the middle of the cove." She whispered her words as soft as a snake mouse.

When Ty Lee took a glance, she could make out what appeared to be their friend Sokka sitting on the edge of the dock, wearing a loose blue shirt now, and his legs were dipped knee deep in the water. Floating in front of him was Suki, and it was apparent that she was not attempting to swim around, but had a different interest instead. The Kyoshi Warrior had placed herself between his legs, shoulders sitting above the surface as her face was buried in his crotch. It was obvious she was pleasuring him orally, and Azula could see his cock escaping her puffed lips. 

"Oh wow, she's really going at it, Azula." 

Suki was enjoying herself, arguably more than Sokka. She savored the taste of his cock and gently let her tongue run up and down his shaft, teasing his sensitive tip. She loved how dark it was compared to the rest of his body, the shade of his cock made the glistening of her spit even more erotic. When she wasn't tracing her tongue on his length like a flavored ice cone from the palace kitchen, she was testing the stretchability of her throat, stimulating his most sensitive part with the inside of her cheek. She stared at him the entire time she did this, never breaking eye contact as she wanted him to be aware of how much she was in love with him, and how much she was turned on by knowing it was her that made his cock twitch uncontrollably. She ran her finger up the underside of his member when she released him from her lip's grasp, all the way from the base to the rim of his glans while she licked the side in the same manner. He was so huge, but she was determined to make every inch of skin tingle with excitement. 

It took both of her hands to cover the surface area of his dick, and while she rubbed her spit into his pores, she moaned her encouraging words to her lover. 

"I'm in love everytime we get to do this, sweetie. I really am addicted." Sokka rolled his head back at her remark, as if his neck had lost the ability to support the overflow of blood in his head. 

"Suki, I think I'm close." She squeezed his cock tighter, motioning her hands slower and slower. 

"No, no. Not yet. I'm not even ready to be done with you." She put him back in her mouth, tasting the bit of juices that slid out of his hole on her soft tongue, and she gagged herself on his cock, sounding like an animal choking on a bone. She was an animal choking on a bone. Sokka had never seen his cock go down that deep in her mouth before, despite the numerous times they had pushed Suki to her limit at her request. Finally, the base of his cock disappeared beyond her glossy lips, and her nose was buried in his patch of black hair. When she caved in and let go, a long thick line of her saliva had fallen from her mouth into him, dripping down the front of his length. 

Suki decided she would use that saliva to help ease his gift of a cock in between her legs, and she was ready to take him like she had early in the morning before they left for the ferry. "Lift me up, I want to ride you." 

He lifted her entire weight with barely any effort, and confided silently to himself how much he loved her tiny frame, her weightless form. She was light but firm, her muscles a main focus of her combat training, and he couldn't help but stare at her tight abs as she emerged from the water. He wanted to relieve himself all over her tight belly, he wanted to claim her as his property like a wild animal. Her milky silk legs wrapped around his waist, and he pulled down his trunks even more for extra maneuverability. She stayed mounted by his effort alone, placing her one hand under his loose blue shirt he had changed into, and using the other to position him inside her throbbing cunt. 

She rubbed the tip of his cock up and down her swollen lips, teasing the edge of his glans in multiple laps as she inserted only the top of his length inside her three to four times. 

"Mmm I know you like it when I tease you like that, water tribe boy." 

Sokka could not make an audible response, and the noises from his throat were primitive at best as she slowly inserted the rest of him, stretching the bounds of her walls with his massive twitching tool. Suki could take his sturdy cock any hour of the day over and over and she would still have trouble stretching over him, allowing him to fill her with his meat. She thrusted herself up and down in the smoothest waves, as if she were doing a slow dance. Her moans filled the tiny little dock, and it was lucky of them that the tourists did not care to visit this part of the Island. 

"Sokka! Sokka!" 

"Just hold on, we've got a while to go, I can carry on." His words were followed by suki's flexible tongue pressing against his, and she rested her arms across the back of his neck. He let go of her hips, giving her full control of the speed, and began to play with her tits. Her tiny reddish nips were like switches of pleasure. Every time he rubbed them he felt her thighs tighten over and over, and Sokka massaged her soft skin as her breasts could barely be contained by his large hands. She had grown so much since they first met. She could already kick his ass six ways back to the southern water tribe back when they were acquainted on Kyoshi Island, but now she was even stronger, although she was gentle only for him. He was in control this time, every other time he was dominated by her, and it always ended with him finishing more quickly. Which was beneficial to her really, as that was more time to focus his attention on her pussy and sensitive body in other ways besides his tool, but this time it was perfect as he wanted their ride to last. He smacked her firm ass, leaving a red mark on both sides before she called him a dirty dog.

"Suki, I'm gonna fuck you from behind." She allowed him to flip her, and now his manhood entered her cunt from behind, stimulating her nerves in an entirely different way and direction. His arms locked around her shoulders to keep her in place, and he was mesmerized by the grinding of her ass on his hips. Now she wasn't in control, now it was really a ride for her. Sokka buried his face in her neck, buzzing his moans against her soft skin, and she couldn't take it. Her hips were almost spazzing, and he could hold onto his muscles no longer. "I'm going to cum on your belly." He stated so firmly, like she didn't have a choice. There was no other choice she wanted either. 

"Fuck yes you are." He rolled on his back, allowing Suki to spread her weight on him, and he pulled out his erection that was covered in her juices. The stickiness from Suki's pussy had made it easier to grip, and in a matter of seconds he exploded on her firm tummy with only one tug. They both moaned uncontrollably, and her abdomen was splattered with his substance. She had craved the taste, but decided against wiping some into her mouth as she did not want to taste the sea water that still clung to her body. She lay there for another couple minutes, letting him kiss her neck ever so lovingly before she rolled off of him, gathering her clothes to return to the lodge. He wiped off her belly with his shirt and would discard it before they got back to where they were staying, opting to carry her the whole way back. 

"Mmm, guess what, handsome? When we get alone time tonight, we get to focus on letting me finish." They both laughed, kissing as they disappeared down the beach. When they were unable to be seen, Azula and Ty Lee got up from their hiding spot, and walked over to the start of the dock. 

"The water tribe boy certainly has a way with easy women, doesn't he?" Azula didn't care to admit her legs were pulsating about as much as Suki's were, and if she were alone to watch the show, she would have likely been orgasming the same time as them, as she was impressed by his endurance. 

Ty Lee viewed the area around them, taking in the sights and sun. "Yeah, isn't he dreamy?" Azula stuck out her tongue. Not in disgust towards Sokka, but at the idea that Ty Lee would allow herself to be a total sleeze for peasantry when she had hailed from a considerable line of nobles. 

"So what now? We can't just head home right behind them." 

"Let's just stay a while." Ty Lee had suggested, and the Princess agreed.

"So…." Azula drew lines in the sand with her sandals, not knowing what to talk about after the eventful day she wanted to throw behind her. "Did you get that dress and top that you tried on?" 

"Nope, it didn't fit. My bust is just too big, haha."

"Haha, it really is. I'm kind of jealous, really. I see all the men staring." Both girls looked away in awkwardness, placing their arms behind their backs in unison. "I'm sorry you didn't get to buy much at the market." 

"It's okay! I got to spend time with you, and that's all that matters." Azula blushed at the comment, and her warm cheeks reminded her that her face was an absolute mess after their fiasco in the jungle forest. She attempted to scrub off the rubbish that clung to her skin, with no luck. 

"Here, follow me, Azula." Ty Lee took the Princess's hand and led her to the dock where dirty events had just taken place, and Ty Lee dipped her two fingers in the water so she could attempt to help Azula scrub off the grime. She noticed the sun beginning to lower in the distance, and the sky had become a slight orange color. "Wow, I didn't realize how late it had become. Not quite dusk but definitely past the sun's highest point, ya know?" 

"Yeah, it's been a long day already."

Ty Lee could feel the pain in Azula's voice as much as she could feel the wind cooling her skin. But if the sun was starting to set, and the breeze was so cool, why did she still feel so warm? 

"It really does feel romantic here. I can see why Sokka and Suki chose this spot." Ty Lee suggested so expressively, and Azula had no words for her, only a deep eye contact they both couldn't escape. Ty Lee's hand still caressed Azula's cheek, slower and slower her finger dragged across her smooth skin. 

Without even thinking, Ty Lee leaned in to Azula, and met her lips with hers. She melted into her warmth, the natural comfort of a firebender, and grabbed her shoulder. She wanted it to last forever, but it was over in a matter of seconds, and when she pulled back, Azula was in a state of shock, the bridge of her nose had scrunched and her brow tightened. 

"Ty Lee, what are you doing?!" 

Suddenly, the acrobat had lost her breath, her chest heavy with realization. "I… I don't know… I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, I…. I shouldn't have… I'm sorry…. I'm gonna go now!" Ty Lee took off running as fast as she possibly could, barely leaving any imprints in the sand.

"Wait! Ty Lee!" Azula reached out for her, but she was gone. Azula put her fingers on her lips in disbelief, but the evidence was there with the lip gloss from her friend that she could taste. 

_I forgot how fast she can run._

She didn't know what to think, she didn't know whether to chase after her, or go back in the forest forever. She eventually decided to sit on the dock that Sokka had sat on moments before, where the love of his life had been tethered to him through carnal desire. She took off the see through throw-over part of her top and wiped her face. She wanted to rid herself of it after being smeared with muck, and she could've just burnt it into ashes to be taken by the air from her hands, but she absentmindedly threw it into the water to watch it drift off into the waves. 

_This is definitely not how I expected everything to go._

She took the pin out of her headpiece, removing it and placing the golden fire motif next to her, and she let her hair fly down to blow in the breeze. She observed the water, and at the moment it stood perfectly still where she could see her blank expression. She did not know how to feel about herself, she did not even begin to know where her feelings were for Ty Lee. 

'You look so confused, my little darling. The look of being lost in love.' 

It was her, finally showing up again to give unwarranted words that made Azula cringe. She could see the image of her mother in the water next to hers, and she could barely tell the difference between the two reflections. 

"What do you know about love? You never loved father, you never loved me. You were only there for Zuko because he was a stumbling mess." 

'I know enough to realize that your friend Ty Lee feels like more than a friend. That she loves _you_ , Azula. That she would do anything for you. Are you willing to love her back?' 

Azula exhaled through her nose, and she stared straight ahead into the horizon, angry that she even had to discuss this. "She betrayed me, she was going to leave me all for nothing. How do I know she won't leave me in the future?" 

'I think you know very well you've already forgiven her for that, and you know very well just how much you feel for her. She is your closest friend. Because she wanted to be, because you wanted her to be.' 

Azula grabbed her headpiece and slammed it into the water, wailing slightly as the reflection she saw disrupted into a thousand tiny waves, and she watched the royal artifact sink down, deep down until she felt like the water had surrounded her, too. She felt alone, truly alone this time as all her thoughts had abandoned her. The feeling of abandonment, whether someone had done it to her or she to them, had tainted the feelings in her soul. Before today she had known exactly who she was, exactly who she always was going to be. She was the monster she was made into, the monster she had strived to be all her life because it made her strong, and made others know it. Now, she could not say the same. 

She heard a squishing noise behind her, and discovered a frog lizard had made its way next to her, croaking as it too laid eyes in the distance. Azula, annoyed, pushed the creature into the ocean, and the splash and croak had flashed a memory in her mind. 

'W _hy would you do that?'_

The creature had bounced back up the side of the dock, again placing itself next to her. He was certainly persistent if not stupid, she thought to herself as she had guessed she fit the description of a human who would provide it with food. 

_Very well, you may stay._

She ran her fingers across it's head, examining its long legs designed to make it leap great lengths, and she watched the creature curl Its tail at her touch. Every time it croaked, its chest had puffed into a near translucent bubble. There was mud stuck to the creature's back, and she had scratched it off with her nail, making sure she was gentle with her movements. Ty Lee had done the same for her after all. 

Oh, Ty Lee….

It was time for Azula to return after an hour of taking in the view. Her thoughts had not progressed any further, as the feedback from her senses were stuck in a loop. The frog lizard had not abandoned her, and she picked it up as she readied to leave. If he hopped out of her grasp, then let him be damned, but the creature would not move out of her holding. She decided to place him in her coin bag, where his head stood out of the opening, and he dared not cause a stir. She walked slow as if she were weighed down at the ankles, her heels dragging across the sand. When she arrived at the compound, she chose to enter the main room first where the kitchen was located. As the door opened in front of her, Zuko sat on one couch and Sokka and Suki, the dirty lovers, had been placed in the other, still in each other's arms. Zuko stood to greet his sister, his formal robes replaced with more casual wear and his hair was down like hers.

"Hey, Azula, it's pretty late. Where did you go?" 

"It doesn't matter." She placed the bag on the table, and took out the frog lizard. 

"Azula, I thought I told you not to buy any pets. What is that thing?" 

"I didn't purchase him, he followed me home, from the forest. He's a dragon. I had no choice in the matter." She reached into her bag and pulled out the little figures she had bought when handling the little boy, and tossed Zuko his likeness. 

"What's this?" 

"It's you, Dum Dum. They sold these at the market, apparently you're pretty popular around here." She handed Suki hers, and she was taken aback by the tiny her. Zuko had proceeded to touch the toy's scar, and then did the same to himself. He could not believe it. 

"Look, Sokka, it's tiny me! I even have fans! And they got my smile right!" 

"Wow, that is actually probably the most freaky thing I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot of freaky shit over the past years. Where's mine?" 

"They didn't have you. All they had was Zuzu, Suki, The Avatar, and the blind girl." 

"WHATTT?! They didn't have me?! That's crazy! We're going to the marketplace tomorrow and I am having a very strong word with the creators of this!" 

"I guess you're just not action material, lover boy." Suki booped his nose with her Suki's miniature fan, and he was steaming. 

"I am absolutely action material! I'm Boomerang Guy! Does anybody not remember air ship slice? Like come on!" He motioned his arms in a waving rage, eyes wide and veins popping. 

Azula headed out the door, turning to Zuko. "Feed my pet, will you Zuzu? He hasn't eaten all day. Frankly, neither have I." When she left, the group was left staring at the creature except for Sokka who was still having a small tantrum. Suki scrutinized it's appearance and was extremely confused. 

"So, what do we do with him? Is it a him?" The creature responded with a croak and regurgitated vomit on the space he occupied. 

Azula went up to the second story of her building. As she was about to enter her open door, she stared at her quarters filled with her things, but it felt so empty and bare. She lingered only for a minute, but chose not to enter and sleep. She instead walked over next door, and barged through the door to Ty Lee's room, and she responded to the intrusion with frightened surprise. Her cheeks were wet from falling tears. 

"Azula, I wasn't-" 

"Shut up." Azula dashed over and grabbed her by her top, pulling the beautiful specimen of a girl in for a long, drawn out kiss, which Azula exhibited with passion. She tasted every spot of her lips and ran her sharp nails through Ty Lee's hair. Even the Avatar himself couldn't pull her away. When she pulled back, she was met with wide glossy eyes in a muddled expression. "You can't just let me have a taste and not give me the whole thing." 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read this far, then you are obligated to leave a comment with criticism or thoughts, or grammar pointers. I don't care if you hated this and just want to tell me go fuck myself, I want your damn comment. Failure to do so will result in you never rising from the ashes of your shame and humiliation. This chapter took a long time to write, but is significantly longer than the first. If you were expecting more smut, do not worry, the next chapter will satisfy you.


	3. Inexperienced Love

Shadows prospered in the still ambience within the sturdy walls, and the air clung to every surface in a muggy blanket of moisture. Like unwavering statues, the guards stood in their pointy metal attire, swords and spears ready at the hip like every night before. The moon had climbed high but was concealed by the clouds, dispersing what little water they could but not ready to let down a shower in the summer heat that still made itself present in the night. Most inhabitants were asleep, and only a few sconces and torches stood lit throughout the walls and perimeter of the Fire Lord's Palace. Still, on a dark night like this, the grounds seemed unusually dull. Even in the chambers of the monarch where former General Iroh had been staying on Lord Zuko's behalf was filled with a calm quietness over a lively game of Pai Sho, and the old man had left his half cup of tea unattended due to the mental scrutiny he had been employing on an old friend. 

"You have not made a move in quite some time, Ming. Perhaps a form of uninsured chance is your best bet at landing a solid blow?" Iroh had stroked the end of his long beard, now a crisp white with age. His opponent had her strong jawline grasped by her forefinger and thumb as she eyed the board, looking for a manner of escape. 

"Wasn't it you, Iroh, who said that the slowly and carefully maneuvered weave is what holds the sturdiness of the most elegant basket?" Ming's husky voice came pouring out like a hot beverage, and the young guard moved her piece on the board, holding onto what little confidence she had in her move against the master.

"Yes, but it is the quick and sharp slice that leaves the base cut open, and the contents spill out before it's holder can fumble to catch them." He shifted his pieces before his words finished forming, and Ming was left aghast at her abrupt loss. 

"Ugh! Again? I know I told you to not go easy on me, but this is unbelievable." Ming clutched her tied black hair, the flames of the sconces dancing on her olive skin, but still managed a laugh at the good time she admitted to herself she was having with her pleasant companion. 

"Perhaps another game will go in your favor? I think they say that the sixth time's the charm." The wise Iroh offered his humorous solace to the smashing woman while he took another sip of his ginseng tea. 

"No, that's my limit for tonight. I think I still want my dignity intact when I finish my shift. Thank you, Iroh, for the good time, and again for getting me a position here. It's been an opportunistic last few years. Fire Lord Zuko takes after your kindness in many ways." 

"It is always good to catch up with an old friend, Ming. If you are done, then I think I will retire to bed for the night. It is getting quite late for an old man like me. The moon is already held high." He checked outside the small window, laced over with metal bars. The Fire Lord's chambers were quite high in the main tower, and below he could see the open area that surrounded the main palace, and the gardens below, some new, some that his nephew Zuko had ordered to be constructed in recent years.

"Okay. I'll bring you a fresh cup of tea before you check in." Ming stood and gathered their cups before heading out the heavy door. 

"Thank you, it is much appreciated." When the door closed behind the youthful guard, Iroh made way to a ceramic bowl of cold water and splashed his face, taking his time as he took in the warm atmosphere of the room. Like every other room of importance, it had been painted in a dark red and lined with gold, the massive raised bed taking center in the back wall. He examined the long banner of the Fire Nation Insignia that draped across from it, and he looked over to the portraits that stood on a small nightstand. He examined the one of him, then of Ursa, a full group portrait of Zuko and Mai with Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki, followed by another portrait of his niece, Azula, all captured in exquisite inks and charcoals faithful to their likeness. Iroh had brought his own portrait of his late son, Lu Ten, to place next to the others during his stay, and he examined every line and textured feature of the memento for a stalling moment. Ming had still not returned yet with his tea in quite some time, most likely due to the time of night and the walking time between the chambers and kitchen, so he decided to lay in Zuko's bed of silks and firm pillows before closing his eyes. It was his first night here, but already he felt at home by the quiet ambience. The room was dark after he had put out the sconces, and it was a few minutes before he heard the door slowly open, his eyes still closed from his drowsiness. 

"I hope you brought jasmine this time." There was no response. He slowly opened his eyes, and saw what appeared to be a long silver dagger hanging over his face, and a man concealed by a black ninja-yoroi. As the blade was about to plunge down into his skull, Iroh tightened his muscles and let out a scathing stream of flame from his mouth, and the Dragon Of The West was already on his feet as the attacker was screaming, his hood on fire and melting into his face. Iroh ran to the bowl of water and threw it at the man, dousing the flames while kicking another fire at the man's torso to knock him back and cause him to slam into the wall. He was wailing on the ground, holding his concealed head in pain as Iroh watched in confusion, gaining his composure. It was then that he had remembered Ming. 

When the assassin was rendered useless, Iroh barged out of the door into the somber hallway, dark as ink. He scrambled as fast he possibly could down to the courtyard, passing all the winding chamber entrances and exquisite quarters and immediately noticed Ming being handled by another similarly dressed attacker, spilt tea at her feet and the man's hand holding her head against a skinny pillar. The attacker had created a ball of flame in his other hand ready to burn her when Iroh kicked blasting fumes at the man's back, causing him to release his grip. Ming seized the opportunity, grabbing his groaning head and slamming his jaw into her knee, failing to notice the sharp pain in her leg as she heard a crunch. The man was dead as soon as his jaw was crushed by her knee guard into his nose bone, and Ming was taken by her own strength filed by pure adrenaline. 

"Ming, are you alright?!" Iroh rushed to her, holding her shoulder and examining her for any injury. 

"I'm fine. Are you okay?" 

"Just fine, I was attacked in my room after you left. Someone must have been listening." Iroh's ears perked at the sound of yelling, and he determined it to be coming from the other courtyard. "Come, Ming. We have to help the other guards."

In his old age, the once great General Iroh could still keep his pace up with the young Ming as they rushed to the other side of the wall dividing the two courtyards. When they were about to exit the doorway through the short tunnel, four figures had floated down in front of their path, blocking their progression. They were uniform in their garb and stature. The two on the outer part of the formation had formed orbs of fire in their swirling hands, and the remaining pulled throwing knives from their wrists, holding them tightly to their sides, and readied to thrust them in open air with precision. 

Ming took a leap in front of Iroh to kick the flying blades, sending them straight into the wall as the others sent their fire. Iroh pushed her out of the way, taking control of the attacker's flames in his hand, whirling them behind his head and sending them back as if he were a waterbender, knocking over his opponents. He thrust forward, pushing a more powerful inferno to disable the others, and they lay on the ground. Ming kicked the ones who were still moving in the head, knocking them temporarily unconscious. He had noticed fire being exchanged in the background but it had now ceased, and a group of fully armored palace guards came rushing over. 

"General Iroh, are you alright?" 

"Fine. What happened? How did they get through our defenses?" Before the guard could answer, a group of women in their green sleeping robes and absent their makeup, the Kyoshi Warriors, had rushed to Iroh, tired but still very much alert from the transgression. 

"Lord Iroh, we fought a whole group of them off. There must have been fifteen or more. They had to have been here for Zuko. Firebenders and non benders, we took care of them… but…." The black haired girl had looked out of breath, and she was painted with blood. One of the guards spoke up in his muffled voice. 

"Your highness, it appears they had earth benders with them. They created passageways, tunnels under the palace to get through us." 

Ming had a face of stone, and she immediately rallied everyone to listen. "I want the palace guards to search every room and corridor of this palace. Your priority is any wounded and any intruders who might still be lingering. I'll have the Kyoshi Warriors search for any more tunnels. Let's go!" 

The group split off to their commanded duties, except for the one girl from the Kyoshi Warriors. 

"General Iroh, Captain Ming. There's something else. When some of us tried to question the attackers, they...they slit their own throats. Some of the others swallowed something, it made them choke, foam at their mouths. They're all dead. Whoever they are, they did not want to be questioned, they knew this was the end for them." 

Iroh closed his eyes and rubbed his beard, sighing at the report. "Something is very off here. Someone does not want this traced back to them. If this was the work of firebenders and men from the Earth Kingdom, then this is more serious than I thought." 

"Lord Iroh, something else that's important. When we took out our attackers, we immediately rushed to the Fire Lord's quarters and found the man you must have fought off. He was dead too, his chest self-impaled. He was holding this." She handed the bloodied paper to Iroh, and he examined the painted characters smudged and slightly crumpled. 

'THE ROYAL FAMILY WILL NEVER BE SAFE AGAIN'

Iroh grimaced and shook his head in disgust. "Ming, attach this to a messenger hawk and have a letter sent to Fire Lord Zuko after we have assessed everything. Spare no detail. Tell him there has been another attack." 

***

The tiny room was filled with moans and giggles, and every so often the bed could be heard grating against the floor. There was sweat dripping from Ty Lee's forehead, and the room felt musky as it was clear that firebenders radiated heat in their passion while Azula was positioned on top of her. They had been locking lips for quite a while, and there was no escape for Ty Lee as the Princess had her arms pinned above her head. Azula held no sign of slowing down when Ty Lee caught a glimpse of her, and the Princess attacked her neck with smooches and licks. Her skin was almost searing like a pan over flame, and her breath even hotter. Ty Lee had her legs wrapped around her partner's waist, and every so often Azula had foregone her restraint on Ty Lee to feel the soft skin of her firm thighs, and her exposed midriff was fair game as well. Both girls had decided that they enjoyed using their tongues, and Azula noted how sweet Ty Lee had tasted. 

Ty Lee was certainly an expressive lover, vocalizing all her desires. She wanted a slow burn from the firebending girl she had fallen for, and for her velvet touch to provoke her entire body. On the other hand, Azula was silent but commanding, everything from their positioning and pace was her choosing. Still, there was a feeling of insecurity with every kiss and collision. She was fuzzy on how she wished things to go and why things had been. They had kept it slow since their first kiss in the room, not even removing any clothes or changing position. Every press of the lips was riveting for both of them, and as the minutes passed by Azula's head was a cauldron of chemical mush. A tingle rushed through her every time Ty Lee's breath hit her ear in passing. At times she worried she was shaking too much or not being responsive enough for the girl, and occasionally when Ty Lee's hands passed over her midsection, Azula felt she might pee herself.

"Ow, ow!" Ty Lee pushed azula upward but did not kick her off, and refused to touch her again. 

"What? What's wrong?" Azula was worried. She knew she could be rough but she did not wish to hurt her lover. Not too much anyway. 

"Your skin! It's burning." 

"Oh. Sorry. That happens sometimes. Sometimes, I just…. lose control. Are you okay?" She felt her own temperature drop and placed her hand on Ty Lee's stomach, reassuring her all was okay. 

"It's alright, but maybe we should take a break. I think we've been making out for like an hour now haha." 

"Isn't that a good thing? Doesn't that mean you like it?" 

"Of course I like it, Azula. It's just my jaw and lips are starting to become numb, you know?" Azula could go on forever if she desired, she had so much energy she couldn't deplete. She almost felt like the fun was only getting started, but she relented and dismounted from Ty Lee, sitting next to her on the bed. Ty Lee came in close, wrapping her arms around the eager girl. "I think I'm gonna go freshen up, okay? It's been a long day. And I think I want to draw a bath. It shouldn't take the servants long. I'll be back before long if you don't fall asleep before then." 

"Very well, then. I guess I shall go for a smoke outside." Ty Lee kissed her on the cheek before leaving, rubbing her tummy as she did so. Azula secretly smiled to herself at the affectionate goodbye and got up, happily moping to her room to collect her things. The servants had placed her white bag on the bed covered in cherry colored sheets she would be sleeping in for the next two weeks, if she wasn't busy in Ty Lee's, that is. Azula didn't even bother to take in the room and estimate its comfort level. The dark wood and the light curtains failed to grab her attention or her overly critiquing tastes. She grabbed a rolled cigarette from her metal case and checked the mirror that stood tall by her closet to examine herself for a moment before finding the door next to her room, and stepped outside on the little terrace where the sun beds and the umbrellas stayed. She could feel the refreshing breeze flow through her draping hair as she leaned on the waist high wall while she lit her cigarette with her finger. Even though she was still getting used to Ty Lee's presence and touch, she felt so odd without her pressing against her body, almost empty. She watched the reflection of the moon shine on the dark water, and it reminded her of Ty Lee's eyes. Why had she fallen so head over heels? After all, it was Ty Lee who had been the provocateur of this arrangement. As she contemplated, the push and pull of the waves in her view had only made her feel dizzy. She inhaled deeply on every puff, but no smoke escaped her breath. 

"It's a nice night for our first day here." Azula need not turn around to identify the smooth voice that creeped behind her. 

"Yes, Zuzu, I suppose it is." She puffed away again, hoping her brother would get lost. He floated up next to her, placing his arms akin to hers on the wooden wall, staring at the same waves she had been entranced by. 

"It was you. You burned down the old vacation house." Zuko dropped the revelation so nonchalantly, and Azula's shoulders stiffened before she forced herself to relax again. 

"Well that's a pretty forward claim, and unwarranted if I do say." 

"Is it?" 

Azula turned to him with a clenched jaw, her cigarette only hanging a fingertip's length away from her lips. "I burn a lot of things, Zuko. I'm kind of a firebender in case you haven't noticed. Possibly, if not certainly, the most powerful of them all. What makes you think it was my flames that burned our old house down?" He did not turn to look at her, and only gazed in the distance even more ominously. 

"You mentioned it at the beach when we arrived. I never bothered to tell anyone else about the fire, I just had the property rebuilt and didn't give it a second thought. But you mentioned it so casually, you slipped up about it like it was common knowledge." His one good eye rolled to meet hers. "And it just so happened that it burned down soon after you disappeared." 

Her slight snarl turned into a wince, and she knew she could not deny it now. "Fine. I did it, you caught me." She placed her searching eyes elsewhere, getting lost in the clouds that scattered across the sky. "When I ran away, I figured you would believe I headed for the one place out of your jurisdiction that I could hide easily, so I did the opposite. Instead of taking refuge in the Earth Kingdom right away, I came here. I kept to myself for a week or so. And then I burned it all to hide my tracks. There, are you happy to know the truth now?" 

"No." 

Azula scoffed at him and pulled fast on her cigarette again, with a small cloud of smoke being blown in his face from the wind. "No? Why not? Well I suppose you're never happy, but I'm curious what's keeping you from being satisfied from making me confess this time, since it's obvious you're so clever." 

"Because that's not the truth. You wouldn't have burned it to cover your tracks. Anything you left here could have been from some squatter. No, you burned it for another reason." 

Azula spat into the ground below, grumbling to herself. "You're smarter than I thought, I suppose." 

"You still haven't answered the question. At least not truthfully." From just seeing Zuko's face, one would think he wasn't participating in conversation at all. 

"Why do you care, anyway? When we came here last, you burned all our things from there in the fire. All our portraits and belongings. I was just finishing the job. What, are you going to hold me accountable for my crimes against the property of the Fire Lord?" 

"Possible injury to people and animals aside, I just wondered why. I wanted to know what caused you to do it. I'm just trying to understand you." 

"Why do you want to understand me? You can't even look at me right now! Why won't you look at me?!" He finally turned to face her, his good eye as weary as his burned one. He was a little started by her sudden outburst, and the response he gave cracked out of his throat.

"In the moonlight, with your hair down….. You look just like Mother." Azula was disgusted by the comparison, even though every time she looked in a mirror she secretly knew it was true. But damn Zuko for even bringing her up.

"No one can ever understand me, Zuzu.  _ Sigh _ , if you insist on an explanation, then I did it because everything reminded me of her. All the rooms, the memories, everything. It had to go. Just like I did." 

"And then when you felt you could no longer be in the Fire Nation, you wandered the Earth Kingdom. Just like I did." 

_ No, not like you.  _

"Well I certainly didn't settle down in Ba Sing Se and decide to make tea, that's for sure. And I definitely wasn't going to come back and be some prisoner like Father." 

"Then what did you do?" He had never heard any detail of her time in the Earth Kingdom, and was floored by curiosity at the thought of Azula living in poverty in a foreign nation that didn't worship her. Though he supposed it couldn't be worse than the hospital he was forced to administer her in. 

"Nothing. Nothing happened. I drifted from town to town. I stole people's money, I used it to buy food and services. I survived, like a peasant. What, were you hoping for a heartwarming story about how living the life of a mud beetle humbled me?" She flicked away the remains of her cigarette and rested her hands on her now aching hips, expecting him to get his answer and go. But Zuko was sure there was something to be told in her time gone, she only neglected to mention it.

"I don't even think the power of the largest dragon could humble the great Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation." Zuko chuckled to himself, hoping maybe to get some cheer out of her as well.

"I wouldn't be humbled by a dragon, I would hunt it down and end its colossal life like the rest of our ancestors. What, was the Earth Kingdom supposed to give me some valuable lesson of compassion and direction like it did you?" Zuko found himself at a pause to think of a response, searching his mind for what to say.

"Sometimes it's not about what you bring with you, but what you leave behind." He turned to walk away, traversing down the stairs back to his residence. Azula stretched her muscles in steaming anger, fists angled at the ground. 

"What's that supposed to mean?! Is that some age old proverb you learned from Uncle?" 

Zuko glanced back up at her one last time before retiring to his room, and grinned slightly. "Perhaps." 

The breath passing through her gritted teeth made a slight hiss, and she continued to watch the waves for a few moments. She thought how coming here might have been a nice change of pace, but now she partly wished she had just stayed home. Though she couldn't imagine it would be easy to avoid Uncle Iroh's parables of the long and miserable life of a failure if she had chosen to stay. No matter, she would just have to give her best effort to stray away from everyone for the remaining weeks. It did not seem too difficult a task as it was apparent everyone was keen on doing the same to her. Everyone except Zuko. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why was he so persistent to save her and look into her head? She was sure as the air was muggy that he had deemed her a lost cause the second he threw her away to rot when he was crowned Fire Lord. 

"Azula, are you okay?" The voice of Ty Lee had startled Azula while she was lost in thought, and she turned to see the girl with her hair down out of her normal braid, in a white robe that dragged with the wind. Ty Lee had pointed to the wall Azula was standing by, and Azula noticed her own hands were charring the wood, burning it with a glowing sear of energy that somehow had escaped her notice. 

_ I'm starting to lose control. _

The chi in her body was flowing rapidly as tiny explosions rippled throughout her that she interpreted as sizzling anger. Zuko had left minutes ago and she was still seething. She decided he wasn't worth the effort, and she cooled herself down as she watched the heat escape from where her hands had been placed. She inhaled deeply in rhythm with the waves in the distance as she rubbed her thumb into her wrist, and she silently hoped Ty Lee would go away too. 

"Azula, what's wrong?" Ty Lee was standing next to her now, trying to examine her agitated expression. 

"Nothing." Ty Lee's eyes were avoided at all costs when she let her answer escape her mouth. 

"Azula, don't lie to me. Tell me what's going on." 

"How many times am I going to be berated about the truth today?" Her voice was collected but cold, like an eagle snake ready to strike with it's head down from the safety of its coil. 

"It's been such a long day. How about you come with me to relax?" Ty Lee extended her hand, eagerly awaiting Azula to hold on. 

"I thought you were drawing a bath for yourself?" She was finally no longer inhibited from looking at Ty Lee in the eye, and was met with a deep concern. She finally understood why she was so entranced by the waves. 

"I need your help with something. Will you come?" 

Azula nodded, and they were off to the base floor of their housing. She couldn't imagine what Ty Lee would need her help with that she couldn't just get a servant to attend to, but she figured she would find out soon enough. They passed by Sokka and Suki's quarters, but not a peep came from it. Down the unlit hall at the end had been the washing area, which amounted to a slightly claustrophobic space with a white tiled floor and a matching tub in the middle, now filled with fresh water. There was a mirror off to the side with a stool and counter that held a bowl of water and certain soaps. 

"So Azula, will you heat up the water for me? It's not nearly hot enough as I want it." 

"Oh, okay. I guess." Azula put her hand on the side of the tub, submerging her hand under the surface and released heated energy. There was bubbling, and the room was filled with steam in an instant. The steam felt cleansing on her skin and began to relieve tension. She was tempted to close her eyes, but she did want to lose concentration, for she could make the water boiling, or even melt the tub itself. Ty Lee walked over and dipped her foot in without compromising an ounce of her balance and fluttered it around in the stirring water. 

"Perfect! Thank you Azula, this is going to feel so nice." She turned around, and suddenly the white robe fell to the ground off her skin like an avalanche of snow. Azula was dumbstruck by her shape, her athletic thighs that met her round bottom. Her chiseled back and broad shoulders nearly made Azula drool, and she bit her lower lip at the sight. Her skin was pinkish from the abrupt change in temperature, and the steam glistened on it perfectly. Azula was starting to sweat, and suddenly a gravity heavy feeling hit her pelvis. The female body was nothing new to her, so why did she feel like this? She could feel her toes curling on the tile, and she had an excruciating urge to hold Ty Lee against her. The girl certainly wasn't shy. Azula could see the shape of her breasts pouring from the side even from behind, and when she flipped around, that was the moment Azula realized just how chesty she really was. Her rosy pink nipples were pointed right at her, and they were proportionate to the rest of her size. When Azula saw the front of her, it was like someone was pressing a thumb into her muscle right above her slit. She really was jealous of the girl's physique; it was as if Ty Lee trained her muscles every hour of every day. 

"Since you're already here, Azula, would you mind helping me wash?" Her smugness was very telling, and Azula realized this was her plan all along. This time Azula really didn't mind being duped into doing something, so she decided to play along. She could only muster a gentle nod, and Ty Lee handed her a soft sponge she had marinated in soapy water. The flowery aroma made Azula's shoulders drop all her carried weight. There was still a lump in her throat, and all the moisture evaporated from Azula's mouth when Ty Lee came closer to ask her something. "You don't want to get your clothes wet. Do you want to take them off?" 

Azula could not answer, the dryness of her throat prevented her from doing so, but it did not matter as Ty Lee took initiative and starting undressing her Princess. First her skirt was tugged off of her, dropping to her feet, and it was revealed to Ty Lee that Azula had not worn any undergarments. She giggled at the sight of her bareness, and bit her lip as Azula had. She prompted Azula to lift her arms, and suds fell onto Azula's petite chest as her half shirt was lifted off her, thrown to the floor. Ty Lee did not bother with the golden arm band Azula still wore. 

"Wow, Azula, you really are perfect in every way." Instead of being elevated by Ty Lee's compliment, the nude Princess only felt more embarrassed. Her nipples were obviously stiffened, and Ty Lee could tell the instant her top was off that she was aroused at the sight. She felt a static in her tailbone, and the backside of her thighs tightened. She watched as Ty Lee lifted herself into the tub, slowly being absorbed into the water. "Will you start by wetting my hair?" 

Azula placed herself behind her and scooped handfuls of water, pouring them over the top of Ty Lee's head and watched as her hair darkened from the moisture to an almost black color. She had to lean her belly on the tub to control her twitching, and her body movements got even more out of control when she brushed Ty Lee's shoulders with her soapy fingers. She slid the sponge down her arms, moving to her chest. She watched the soap drip down into her cleavage and noted her perfect skin. She had never washed someone before, and it had been years since any servant girl had done this for her, but she found herself enjoying the process, and her own body felt as if she were running the sponge across herself. Azula felt Ty Lee rest the back of her head against her tummy, and she couldn't help but play with her wet hair. 

"This feels so good." Ty Lee was grinning ear to ear as she was made weak to Azula's touch. "You got pretty dirty today, Azula. I think you should get in the water with me, the tub is plenty big for us both."

"Oh, should I?" Azula was shaking in the knees now, and her loins were practically vibrating with unchecked energy. 

"Come on!" Ty Lee grabbed her hand and guided her in from the side. Azula slid in the water, and placed her legs around Ty Lee where they lay the most comfortable. She sat upright with her spine stiff, her back muscles tightened like a wound up toy. Ty Lee could see her sweating cold daggers despite the heat, and she took the sponge from Azula and began washing her front. Both Ty Lee and Azula couldn't keep their eyes off the sponge tracing over her chest as the soap dripped from the pink of her soft little breasts. Azula's belly fluttered as it scraped gently over her pulsing abdomen, like a little sailboat drifting in a white ocean. Her sides were sensitive enough to create tension in her rear, and the water had been brought to a boil around her. She felt nauseated, like there was freshly hot tea that had spilled down her throat, filling her chest cavity. The surface of her body felt more scalding than the water, and steam had rapidly evaporated off her skin. Now Ty Lee had begun to take notice of the physical reaction, and Azula had a face of distraught more blatant than ever. 

"Why are you so nervous, Azula? Everything is okay." Ty Lee gripped onto her lover's hip, squeezing slightly despite the temperature. 

"What? I'm not nervous. I'm fine. I'm perfe-" Azula was whisked down closer to Ty Lee by force with a big splash, and she held on tight as their faces were a particle apart. Ty Lee stroked Azula's hair, weaving it between her fingers. 

"We're together now. You can't lie to me right here! Now tell me what's making you so nervous." Ty Lee certainly was demanding this evening. 

"Well, I… I've never felt this way about another woman before. I've never been with another woman before…." Azula could not look her partner in the eye, and she was about ready to make an escape. 

"It's okay, Azula. You don't have to be so sure of yourself. Do you… want me to help you figure it out?" 

Azula gave a humble nod, and finally a gaze between them was met. Her nerves were less frigid now, and she was becoming more trusting, like a flower spreading its petals ready to absorb the sweet sun. Ty Lee began to give her a wealth of kisses and strokes. Her lips favored below Azula's ear, and her thumb would tickle Azula's neck and shoulder. Azula was plagued by curiosity. The wondrous amount of questioning on how she should feel, how Ty Lee's nude body felt against hers, if the water temperature was okay for the girl, it all spun in a whirlpool inside her head. Azula's hand drifted down, and she played with Ty Lee's breast, kneading it and giving the most playful twists to her nip. Ty Lee's tongue persisted across Azula's collarbone and upward, and her soft breath would blow into Azula's eardrum, causing her to raise her own.

"Do you like that, my Princess?" 

"You don't see me complaining, do you?" 

"Who would have ever thought that we would end up in this position, holding each other and exploring each other?" Ty Lee studied the perfection that was Azula's frame as the words escaped her, and she felt such a close connection despite their romance being young. 

"Well, before the war ended, I figured it would eventually happen after we left Ba Sing Se. But you weren't around the palace much. Maybe I should have ordered you to stick around."

"All you would've had to do was ask." Ty Lee pecked at Azula's lips again, locking them in place for a moment. 

"I shouldn't have to ask, you should have already known what I wanted." Azula's childish regal authority was once again shining through her veil of affection, but Ty Lee did not let it faze her. 

"Shhhh…. I know exactly what you want." More kisses came Azula's way, and they seemed to amuse her enough. The hot bath helped ease her giddiness, which was sprung into reality from Ty Lee groping her up and down. The Princess squealed slightly at her ass being grabbed, and now there was a tickle at the back of her thigh. She tittered through her moans, which only grew louder when her neck was being attacked. It almost distracted her entirely from the feeling of Ty Lee's creeping finger running down her tummy, inching terribly close to her sensitive area. 

"Ty Lee…." 

"Can I enter you? You know, play with you... down there?" Ty Lee could feel Azula's spicy breath from the tension, and she had already buckled her hips closer before giving a verbal response.

"I… I would like that." 

_ Give it to me, please.  _

Ty Lee did not break eye contact when she clung her two fingers together, testing the outside of Azula's waiting cunt. Her labia pulsed at each touch, and her clit was itching to be rubbed. Ty Lee gently massaged both, leaning in for a long kiss as Azula's pussy swelled in size, anticipating further action. Ty Lee's fingers traced back and forth before breaching inside, slowly feeling Azula's tight muscles as each knuckle disappeared. Ty Lee's neck prickled with Azula's moans against her damp skin, and Azula couldn't help but heavily vocalize her pleasure as Ty Lee added pressure deeper and deeper, and a knot had formed in her stomach and sunken down to meet said pressure. She was enthralled by a woman pursuing her like she had herself the night before. Although Ty Lee wasn't quite as attentive to all the sweet spots Azula had been aware of in herself, it was made apparent that Ty Lee knew her way around, stimulating areas Azula had failed to realize. 

_ Has she done this for someone else before?  _

With all the exertion in between her thighs, Azula had almost neglected to notice Ty Lee's hand forming to her ass. She pinched it a little, but mostly massaged her palm across her cheek, and Azula was responding to the attention positivity. She decided Ty Lee should be attended to as well, and her left hand rubbed her large nipple, flicking it lightly with her thumb and swirling it in circles to excite her. Both girls pressed their foreheads together, taking in each other's breath. Azula was boiling, but Ty Lee paid it no mind as she lasered her focus on finding Azula's special spot inside, using the knuckle of her thumb to press against Azula's clit. Azula squirmed like a starfish squid wrestling it's prey as Ty Lee had surprised her with a third finger that slid inside. 

"Ty Lee!" Azula yelped in her ear, burying her nose in the girl's jawline.

"Sorry, is that too much?" She was ready to pull it free, but Azula insisted otherwise. 

"No, no. Keep going. It's okay." Azula had a very petite body, and her anatomy matched her delicate but unyielding frame. Still, she gave into her lover just fine, and her cunt stretched perfectly with Ty Lee's movements now that she had depressed herself and deflated all the traction within her. Azula rewarded Ty Lee's finger dexterity with sloppy smooches across Ty Lee's neck, working her way up to her forehead. It was clear that she was flexible in every regard to her body, every movement she chose to execute. Azula's chain of lip planting only came to stop when Ty Lee hit her right where she was vulnerable, and she let out a cracked moan. 

"Mmm, you're really liking this." 

"I'm loving it." Azula expressed her pleasure into Ty Lee's ear. "Right there, keep it right there." 

Ty Lee did as she was told, and suddenly her hand movements were more mechanical than free flowing. Azula was blushing, and her head was magnetically attracted to Ty Lee's chest. Her guts were churning like an ice crusher, and her head filled with magma rushing to breach the surface of a volcano. She fought hard to keep her thighs open for Ty Lee, and she was beginning to lose. If Ty Lee hasn't been so exceptional at teasing her clit, her legs would be lost in the water rather than grinding against the rest of her. 

"A little deeper." Azula requested, and her walls were stretched even more thin. She rubbed her own hip and realized just how hot she was getting, and tried her best to cool down. The wetness of her hair became tangled with Ty Lee's, and the rest of her body followed. She dreaded their eventual departure from the tub, as she felt it was preferable to stay forever. It would take an entire army to separate her from her new lover, even the pull of the euphoric pulse beaming in the back of her head did not pull her from the moment. Her hips had tensed up, and now Azula knew she was close. She looked up at Ty Lee, and saw bottom lip held by her teeth as she concentrated on Azula's cunt. Ty Lee knew she was close, too. Suddenly Azula had shifted in the water, and was left facing the ceiling as Ty Lee had flipped her with her back spread across her body, and her hand rested across Azula's left hip as she continued to rub between her thighs. She now gave Azula's nipple some attention as well, drifting her finger in circles around her stiffness, and Azula was locked into position by Ty Lee's legs finding some miraculous way of wrapping around her arms like backpack straps. Ty Lee whispered in her ear a few sweet somethings, telling her it's going to be okay and that she'll feel amazing this way. 

Azula may have been locked in place, a position that would cause her survival instincts to fire on all cylinders, but she trusted Ty Lee, and sunk into the girl's body as was intended. With her hands struggling where to go, she eventually held onto Ty Lee's thighs, possibly leaving scratch marks from her long nails. Whatever pain Azula was causing to Ty Lee, she did not notice or take mind. She only continued her work inside Azula as if her lily were a delicate instrument that needed to be fine tuned. All the defense training in the world couldn't protect Azula from the impact of the tiniest shifts of the girl's fingers. The kisses that were stamped so gently on her neck rendered her useless. This was a struggle Azula knew she could not win against, and she decided it was okay to give in. 

The next few minutes were filled with the filthiest talk Azula had never before heard come from Ty Lee, and she could not respond with words, she could not repeat what was said if prompted due to her mind drifting elsewhere. The sensations she felt were rippling throughout her much too viciously, and all she was left with was the ability to moan. Finally she was pushed off the edge, taken over by a falling sensation she could not stop as all gravity in her body plunged her deep into the water's grasp. Ty Lee was forced to cover Azula's mouth in fear that Sokka and Suki would be alert to their little get together, and Azula's yelps for self control almost ate through her palm. Her pelvis would not stop convulsing, and she was unsure if the position she was kept in would force her to snap a muscle. Her heart was leaking adrenaline to the rest of her body, and the feeling of seeping chemicals in her body left her drifting in an open ocean. 

"You really seemed taken by that, Azula. Did it feel that good?" Ty Lee gave her ear a delightful hum, and it made Azula realize she could no longer balance her head with her neck. 

Azula could barely open her eyes. "No one has ever made me feel like that before…." 

"Well you better get used to it, because we have two weeks together here of pure relaxation time, and it's not going to stop after that either. 

_ Two weeks? I don't know if I can handle this for two weeks. I love being worshipped but this is something else altogether.  _

When she fully came to, Azula noticed the hard grip she had imposed on both sides of the tub. It had been so forceful that her nails had dug into the sides, and she had come to the realization that this was only possible because the spots she had held fast onto had started  _ melting.  _

"Ty Lee, did I burn you? I… I really lost control this time." 

"It's okay, I got used to the heat. I didn't want to stop you." 

Azula lifted herself out of the tub, and when she observed Ty Lee's eyes being stuck on her, the water that clung to her skin made her feel insanely sexy and aware of herself. Ty Lee followed her onto the cold tile, and stood close. With no prior thought, Azula grasped her and flung her against the wall with admittedly hurtful force, and began kissing her like it was the last thing she could ever do. Ty Lee had to pull her head away just to allow herself to breathe, though she did not feel suffocated. 

"Haha, Azula!" 

Azula hung her head close, without even opening her eyes. "You made me feel so delightful, you deserve to be rewarded."

"Seeing you like that was my reward, silly. But how about we go back to my room and we can talk about it? Catch our breath?" Azula agreed, and Ty Lee acquired a towel to dry Azula off with. She chose to dry her herself, carefully applying it's soft fabric across her wet frame. She did not dry between her legs, she wanted to leave that as a reminder of what they had just been a part of. She told Azula to wrap the towel around her, and she gathered her robe to cover up. Ty Lee checked the corridor first as she opened the door, and when she confirmed it was clear they sneakily headed to the room. Locking the door behind them, Azula once again took control of Ty Lee, pushing her down against the arrangement of pillows on her pink bed to allow her lips to have their way on the acrobat. 

When their lips stopped clashing for a moment, Ty Lee looked up at Azula, examining her features. Every moment of every day Azula made sure she looked powerful and important, even without her makeup and hair done like she was now. But at this moment Ty Lee did not see the great and merciless Princess Azula, she saw the young and inexperienced girl longing for affection she had never experienced before. 

"Azula, you look so beautiful." Ty Lee rubbed her partner's cheek, grazing the softness and tracing her blushed skin. 

"Well you already know that you're beautiful as well, as I wouldn't have someone any less attractive than you be with me."

There was the old Azula again. Maybe her cynistic ideals were still housed inside her, never to vacate, but at least she tried to execute some level of sincerity from time to time. Maybe some people did see her as nothing but a stubborn bitch, but Ty Lee knew better. Her difficult personality was all just a defense mechanism to hide how she really felt. She may be the most powerful fire bender alive, and may be the feared Princess, but she was still just a young girl. 

"What are you thinking about?" Azula was genuinely curious what was playing in her head to make her put a pause to their little schemes. 

"I was just thinking about the reward you said you were going to give me." Ty Lee's face read playful innocence, but Azula knew well enough that there was something she wasn't mentioning. 

_ No matter, I'll figure it out later. _

"Oh, is that so?"

"Are you going to play with my pussy like I did yours, Azula?" 

"No." 

"No?" 

"No. I think I'm going to do something different. I'm rather curious at how a woman tastes down there. I assume I'll have a good time, since you're fresh from our bath." Azula was smitten at the thought of munching on Ty Lee, and the girl had perked with excitement at the idea of letting Azula experience her like that. Azula bent down with her head low, like a hyena badger ready to pounce, and started stroking Ty Lee's sensitive thigh with the tip of her finger. Azula was just as flustered as Ty Lee was, as she was unsure of how to approach her desires even though it lay plainly in front of her, looking so tantalizing as Ty Lee's robe had come undone. 

"You're nervous, aren't you?" 

Azula was caught off guard by her bravado being so easily transparent. "How… how could you tell? I mean, I've never done anything like this before…" 

"I was nervous my first time too." 

_ So she does harbor some experience with other women? How interesting. Probably those sluts in her little clown gang.  _

"Don't worry, Azula. You can't go wrong. Just imagine the world's most valuable jewel is inside me, and the only way you can find it is with your tongue! Here, I'll make it easier for you." The acrobat of a girl stretched both her legs up in the air, placing her feet behind her head and spreading her slit as wide as it could go without outside help. Her flexibility didn't just pay off in combat. 

"Oh, wow." Ty Lee appeared more yummy than any dish that had come out of the palace. Azula crawled upward like a mouse cat approaching a bowl of milk, ready to take a drink. She looked into Ty Lee's eyes first, and a simple nod indicated that she should start. Both her hands stretched over the underside of Ty Lee's open thighs, and she took in the sweet and very human scent before getting a taste. Her pink flesh was already as slick as oil, and Azula's buds on her tongue activated in delight at the texture that wasn't so different from her lips. Ty Lee's little button that rested above her opening was beginning to swell and get excited, so Azula decided she should probably stimulate that area as well, though she would have trouble focusing as Ty Lee's warmth sunk into her jaw.

Ty Lee swore she could feel her aura develop into a swirl of pink as Azula's agile tongue made way inside her. She couldn't get over the fact that Azula appeared so content, so happy by what was presented to her. Ty Lee wanted her to explore her desires in a safe and comfortable space, and she knew that's exactly what she could provide. Finally, after moments of intense laser focus and explorative instincts, Azula looked up at her with those big golden eyes, almost asking for approval, and Ty Lee might as well have turned to a hot puddy in Azula's grasp. She bit her lip with extreme force, but could not notice the pain. She wished Azula would continue gazing at her, but she understood her need to subject herself to the object at hand. Every dip of the tongue caused Ty Lee to moan, with Azula following suit. 

"Mmm… I like this." Azula only stopped for a second to voice her pleasure, and got back to her work right away. She was filled with an immense satisfaction of her tongue movements, and it was clear Ty Lee was in the clouds. Maybe Azula had some work to do on her technique, but it seemed Ty Lee was locked in a state of bliss, her tether to their earthly world had detached mere moments ago. She was only brought back by an invading tickle crawling up her tummy, and when she opened her eyes, she found Azula desiring to play with both of her tits while still licking her juices. Azula had slowed now, taking her time to feel up Ty Lee's body and examine the texture of her cunt, though she certainly was still looking for that jewel, so to speak. Azula moved one hand down in between her own legs, as there was an urge she needed to give in to that she couldn't ignore with everything stirring in her mind, and she played with her clit delicately and mimicked the movements on Ty Lee's with her tongue, dragging her lips across her labia. 

Ty Lee was in desperate need of of something to hold on to with her lower body, and removed her legs from behind her head to ensnare Azula with her thighs. Azula's ears may have been muffled from them, but she was still listening acutely. Every twitch, every moan, and every muscle lock told her exactly how to proceed with her next stroke. She would give Ty Lee the impression of having control for now, but next time she would be in for a surprise. Ty Lee held on tight to Azula's hair, slightly massaging her head which made Azula lose focus to a minor extent, but she maintained a steady pace. She was enthralled by the taste of a woman, a girl who's main priority was the health of her body and the purity of her strength. Azula rested her palm on Ty Lee's tight abs, feeling the subtle mounds of muscle.

The abrasion of Ty Lee's mental integrity at the whim of Azula's movements was laced with an addictiveness akin to opium to the Princess. Ty Lee was at her heel, her disposal. Every yelp to the spirits was by Azula's doing. Ty Lee's blood was rushing like the mail carts of Omashu, and Azula would not allow any brakes in speed. A devious idea popped in her head, and she could not resist the temptation as she readied her two fingers. A blue flash emerged, and a tingle shot through the both of them.

"Ow! Azula! Why?!" The slight jolt of electricity leaving Azula's fingers and zapping Ty Lee's thigh had made her jump out of her skin, and she was met with a muffled laughter that vibrated between her legs. "That's not funny!" 

"It was hilarious to me. Relax, I'm just having a bit of fun, you know I wouldn't hurt you…" 

Ty Lee squirmed suddenly again, almost snapping Azula's neck with her legs. 

"Azula, stop!" 

"What? I didn't even shock you, I just prodded you with my fingernail, haha. You're so jumpy." Azula rested her chin on Ty Lee's mound and flashed a mischievous look. "You felt like you were getting tired, so I just gave you a boost."

"Very funny, Azula. I'll admit though, it seemed like you really knew what you were doing down there." She loosened her legs around Azula and was dancing her feet on the girl's back, and Ty Lee almost licked her lips at the visible sheen on Azula's mouth. "Come here.." 

Azula hoisted herself up to Ty Lee so they could once again embrace, and she found herself unable to stop fondling Ty Lee's perfect chest. She adored exploring her womanly body, something she never imagined doing before tonight. Before they arrived on the island, Azula wasn't sure if she could stand her. Now she couldn't get enough. This girl was once her best friend, and then a traitor, and now Azula had never been closer to anyone like she had been with Ty Lee in this very moment. When they ceased their kissing, Ty Lee felt a quiver when she gazed into Azula's golden eyes, so full of anticipation and lust. 

"Your eyes are so gorgeous." Ty Lee told her lovingly.

"I tell myself that when I look in the mirror all the time. They really are something." Azula blushed and looked away. She noticed the side of Ty Lee's lip peak, and her eyebrows spelled payback. She knew something was going to happen, but she could not ready herself for the attack of tickles that Ty Lee forced on her sensitive tummy and sides. Her body convulsed at the sensations, and she was for once actually helpless. "Ty Lee! I'll kill you!" 

She was forced into a pleasant laughter that she tried not to admit was enjoyable. Every attempt at escape was hindered by Ty Lee's acrobat flexibility, and she was forced to endure. Ty Lee's hands tickled her all over; her thighs and underarms were not safe. Ty Lee saw the pure panic stricken joy on Azula's face, and it was the most wholesome she had ever appeared. Azula landed a few tickles as well, and they laughed together in a swirl and uproar of playfulness they had not experienced since they were young children. By the end of it, they were a tangled mess of limbs, and Azula could not see past the length of hair that covered her face. She was out of breath, wheezing for the claustrophobic air that surrounded her, and she had no idea how Ty Lee had come into the position that she was in. 

"Admit it, Azula. That was fun!" 

"You're lucky I didn't burn this entire place down from this." 

"Oh, just come lay on my chest and fall asleep. We've had a long day, haven't we?" 

"Well, okay." Azula unweaved herself from Ty Lee's web, and sat her lazing head on Ty Lee's breasts, finally shutting her eyes. She could not get over the immense feeling of ecstacy that fueled the rush in her, but she had to convince herself to calm down and relax. The last few hours really had been such a thrill, but now it was time to reassess herself. She had at least bathed twice, though the second time was spent getting significantly dirtier, and she had not eaten all day except half a cookie from the ferry and the bite of breakfast Ty Lee had forbade her from finishing. She had spent most of the day walking. She managed to get her daily firebending routine taken care of, though she feared she would have to neglect it for the next couple of weeks. The mental ticks she had to check off or at least acknowledge were not taken care of were running through her head. The rest of her day she had tried to block out and leave to time. Azula had believed she would be weighed down by the events when she attempted to sleep. But when she blanked out in the softness of her lover and the sheets she had pulled up, she was met only with a floating sensation.

  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this took a long time to publish, but life and depression kind of got in the way. I originally intended this to be half of chapter 3, but I decided to split it and make the rest chapter 4. I have the entire story planned out now, so I hope you enjoy what is to come! Please let me know of any mistakes you find in the comments below


	4. Playing Games

Suki felt the cool wooden floor under her feet as she went upstairs and headed towards the end of the hall where Azula was rooming at. The crashes of the waves from the beach were audible even from all the way downhill. Besides the waves, all was quiet in the freshness of the early morning where the sun's rays were only a bit past a few hours old. When Suki stood in front of the lightly painted door, readying her hand to knock, she exhaled a few deep breaths before making herself known. 

"Azula, are you awake?" She heard no response, and had to put her ear to the door to be able to distinguish a few grumbles from inside. She gently slid the door open with a slight creak, and poked her head inside. Suki noticed Azula laying in bed under her covers, and she turned to eye the disturbance that had woken her from her deep slumber. Sometime in the night she had migrated from Ty Lee's grasp and into her own quarters, unbeknownst to anyone else as she did not wish her nightly activities to be common knowledge. "Hey, I'm sorry to wake you. Did you sleep alright?" Azula acknowledged her with a look of tiredness and she turned to stare at the ceiling, her bare arms folded to rest on her abdomen just under the fold of her covers. "Can I come in?" 

"I suppose, if you wish." she exhaled. 

Suki drifted in and sat on the edge of the bed with her back towards the now barely awake Princess, and she placed her clasped hands on her knee she held up with her other leg. She wasn't wearing much, some very short shorts and a crop top, both in a matching black, had been all that was covering her. 

"I just came to ask if you wanted to join us for a game of kuai ball? Not right now of course, in a bit, but we need equal teams of three and we wanted you to join. Zuko said you knew how to play well." 

"Well, I guess I shouldn't disappoint everyone else by not showing up. It's not like I have anything better to do." The lethargic tone of Azula caught Suki off guard, but she just attributed it to the early morning air and the fact that she had not begun to process her awakening. 

"Are you having a good time so far here?" Suki let her questioning eyes wander over Azula, and she noticed her pale skin was practically glowing in the sunlight that prevailed through her window. 

"That has yet to be determined." 

"Oh. I see. Well I just want you to know everyone is glad you came. It's been so long since we've all been here. Maybe you and Ty Lee weren't here when I stayed, but strangely, I can't help but describe it as feeling like old times." Suki examined the tall mirror mounted on the wall, as if it were a portal into the past that suddenly flooded her mind. She noticed in the silvery finish of the reflection that Azula was rubbing her eyes, and had drawn out a yawn. 

"What I still don't understand is why Zuko even wanted me here. He could've left me at the palace and I would've out of sight, out of mind. Though I guess it would have rattled him, not being able to keep an eye on me with how dangerous I am." 

"Are you kidding me, Azula? You're his family. Zuko spent hours trying to decide a multitude of different ways to convince you to come, to make you want to take time off with us. And he was so surprised that you said yes right away. He wasn't going to leave on this trip without you. He figured sandy beaches and some nice tropical sun would have been more enjoyable for you than leaving you with Iroh." 

Azula turned to face the window, and pulled her blanket closer to her. "But, why? Why is it so important to him? What does he have to gain from me being here?" 

Suki turned to her, scrunching her brow. "You mean you haven't figured it out?"

"Figured what out?" Azula tightened her eyes and pursed her lips. 

"Zuko is the Fire Lord. He meets with so many people a day. Some like him, some hate him. And he has Ty Lee and I. But Zuko is lonely."

"Lonely?"

"He has no one to really talk to, no one who understands what it's like to be royalty with so many responsibilities. Ever since Mai left, he eats his meals alone. He attends to his duties and then goes to bed, wakes up and does the same thing again. And he knows that you've been lonely, too. You keep yourself in your room all day and never come out. Maybe he doesn't fully trust you yet, but he understands what you had to go through, and he wants you to be able to live freely. He wants you to move past your mistakes like he did." Suki stood up and drifted to the window, gazing at the shoreline below. "Ever since the war ended, we all thought maybe things would quiet down. But Fire Nation politics only got more hectic. The people and the politicians don't know how to pick up the pieces from a war that waged for a hundred years, especially in a country that built its infrastructure off of that very war, led by noblemen who have never seen peace times. We've all been trying to figure out how to carry on, find a different purpose. And he knows that you're trying to do the same thing." 

Azula's eyes lit up in anger, and the yellow of her eyes turned into a molten puddle of heat. "Oh I'm sure it was so hard for him after the war. He got to be Fire Lord, celebrate with his friends, while his dear sister that he's so concerned about was locked away in a cage!" 

Suki looked at the Princess, and her calm demeanor had transformed into a tight sternness. "Azula, please! You know damn well just like anyone here that you were dangerous! That you were going to hurt somebody or you were going to hurt yourself! Your father was going to end a lot of innocent people's lives, all so he could call himself king of the world. People were going to suffer several lifetimes of hurt over some fucked up delusions. And we all know it was you who gave him the idea. Zuko was there, in that war room when you suggested it. Him and every other leader of the Fire Nation. The ones who were secretly against your father wanted you punished, they wanted you thrown in the same prison that he's still wasting away in today. But Zuko fought for you. He knew you could make up for it, that the things you had done don't have to define who you are. Ozai made his choice, and now he's living with it. But you, Azula, you can still make a choice. The war is over, and we've been patient with you. But it's time to decide, time to decide who you want to be. Do you want to keep fighting in a war that's over, or do you want to stand by your brother's side, and start a new chapter?" 

Azula gritted her teeth, her eyes still sizzling, thinking if there was really any difference between being here and staying with her uncle, but it did not deter Suki from sitting next to her on the bed and addressing her directly. "You were gone in the Earth Kingdom for a long time. When you disappeared, Zuko was worried sick. Not about your safety, he knew that you could take care of yourself, but he was worried because he knew you would be lost just like he was. You've never told us what happened while you were there, and that's fine, you can keep it to yourself all you want. When Zuko found you, he was content with letting you stay there, he wasn't going to fight you on it. But you agreed to come back, and you haven't been any trouble while getting readjusted, and he appreciates that. But it's time to move on. We're all adults now, some of us have been adults for a long time. We all had to grow up early from everything that happened, especially you. But it's okay now, it's okay to not know what direction your world is moving in. You don't have to fight us. You don't have to live the life everyone expected you to. You can be whatever you want to be…" 

Azula got out of bed, her blanket shedding off of her naked form, and she shamelessly slid over to her closet where the servants had hung her outfits for ease of choosing, and she did not mind the Kyoshi Warrior eyeing her as she did so. 

"Really thoughtful words and all, but have you ever thought maybe I just like to be alone and prefer no imbeciles to parade around me like they know me? If Zuko feels lonely then that's his problem, not mine." Azula's words were curt and displayed her obvious annoyance at the visitation as she shuffled her hands through the fine fabrics she had taken with her. 

"I'm sorry, should I leave you to your privacy?" Suki replied calmly.

"What? You've never seen another woman without clothes before? You did come here unexpectedly, after all. No time for me to throw on a robe."

"No, I'm not concerned about your state of dress. I mean, you certainly weren't concerned about mine whenever you were spying on Sokka and I at the docks yesterday." 

Suddenly the surrounding air became static, and Azula's neck hairs perked up as she turned her head slightly to see Suki stand and shift her way behind her. She was at a loss for words at the realization that she had been spotted, even though she should not be the one to hold any shame in the situation. 

"You think I didn't see you and Ty Lee staring at us from afar while we got down to business? Did it ever occur to you that maybe I like the thrill of being seen? Being caught in the act? I was originally just going to suck him off there in the water, but when I saw you, I had to give you the whole show." Suki leaned in, whispering in Azula's ear as the girl's mouth was slightly agape at the revelation. "Did you like the way I grinded on him? The way I gagged on him? The way he marked his territory all over my belly like I was his property? He's such a good lover." Azula could not make heads nor tails of the game Suki was trying to play, and she couldn't fathom the proper girl who was Zuko's top protector being so blatantly whorish, even though she had witnessed her display that side of her physically with Sokka already. Her unusual power play could not be met with any reasonable words from Azula.

Suki casually walked off to the door, turning around as she was about to close it shut. "Oh and, maybe keep this between us, will you? I wouldn't want Sokka to get all worked up over something like that." She winked at Azula as she whisked herself away, and she headed towards the main lounge in the other building where Zuko had been staying. She felt a devilish bubbling in her stomach from being so casually slutty, especially to get a playful jump on Azula. Suki knew she had been here to protect Zuko should the need arise, but she had let go of any rigidness in her vigilance for the vacation they were on. The constant need to be an immaculate barrier of the Fire Lord's safety for the last several years had worn on her. Yes, Zuko had given her a numerous amount of time off on several occasions to show appreciation for her dedication, but this time was different. This time Sokka was here, and the sun was hers to enjoy. 

Suki really couldn't get enough of Sokka. It had been so long since they had been together, since all of his time is spent at the Southern Water Tribes, rebuilding and reforging his community. They couldn't keep their hands off each other after their year apart, as they had gotten intimate at least four times since they arrived, not counting the day he was at the palace. She had to be able to turn her brain off sometime, and now she could finally relax here at Ember Island with no worries. She however did not like the idea of Zuko staying in a different building than her with the nature of this vacation, but perhaps Zuko had set it that way intentionally to distance her mind from her job. Zuko was going to take advantage of the time off as well, and Suki could only hope that Azula being kept out of the loop of this vacation's true reasoning wouldn't backfire. 

The air outside had been cozy and welcoming to Suki as she strolled down the stairs towards the other building only about 20 meters away, and all was silent with the exception of a few birds passing overhead and the two servant girls conversing outside of the building. She gave a smile and a wave to them as she opened the door to the lounge, and the smell of cooked meat and eggs once again hit her nose like it had before she had gone to ask Azula to participate in their game. 

"What did Ty Lee and Azula say, Suki?" Jin welcomed her back with a smile warmer than the tea she was holding, holding it snug next to her green silk robe. 

"They both said yes, so we're good to play." 

"Awesome! I'm excited to try kuai ball with you guys." Zuko sat down next to her in a sleeveless casual shirt buttoned halfway, his hair held in a bun crowned with his exotic Fire Lord headpiece. 

"Are you enjoying your tea, Jin?" he asked her merrily as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. 

"It's good! Though I have to say that your uncle certainly has me spoiled on tea. Iroh's is the absolute best. It really is a good time working in his tea shop." 

"Haha, well I've tried to learn a thing or two from him when it comes to making tea, I'm glad I'm able to somewhat get the hang of it." Zuko and everyone else turned when the door was slammed open, and Azula sashayed into the lounge with a white bikini on, her hair tied up in the usual fashion, and a look of agitation. A shirtless Sokka followed in closely after, grumbling on about something that explained her obvious foul mood. 

"Look, Azula, all I'm saying is that a lizard should not have to vomit that much! I am not cleaning up after him any more, I don't care how slightly adorable he is. And it is a he, I checked." 

"It's fine, you won't have to worry about taking care of him any more. I'll have one the servants provide him with food and whatever else. Just stop pestering me about it." Azula was in the kitchen area and poured herself a cup of water from a jug, exchanging an awkward glance with Suki in the process. 

Zuko turned to his sister, taking a sip of the tea he had made for everyone. "Good morning, Azula. We just had the chef make breakfast so help yourself, there's plenty to go around." 

"Good, I'm starving." Just as she started to stack her plate, a flabby man in tan cutlery clothing, complete with a floppy hat had entered the spacious kitchen, and bowed at Azula. 

"Princess Azula! What an honor to know that you will be enjoying the meal I have prepared for all of you today." When he turned his head back up, she noticed his spectacles and mustache did little to hide his pudgy face, and she swore she caught him eyeing her breasts. 

"You are a local, I trust? What kind of nourishment would a frog lizard require if I were to feed them?" 

The man clasped his fingers on his droopy chin, and pondered for a moment. "I have prepared many people a frog lizard for their fine dining, but never have I prepared a meal for a frog lizard," Sokka was ready to puke more than the frog lizard Azula had brought home at the thought of that dish. "Many tourists feed them dried grind, mostly made of plants and bone. Feeding them is a favorite pastime of children on the island."

Suki inched over to the bar area and grabbed her cup of tea she had left earlier, and sipped on it. "Sokka and I can grab you some when we go to the market today." 

"Yeah, right after I give the toy merchant guy a piece of my mind for not having action figures of me!" Sokka plopped down on the other couch next to where Zuko and Jin had been sitting, resting his feet on the arm rest while he began to pick his teeth with the sharp edge of his boomerang. Suki walked up and gave him a slightly disgusted look. 

"Sokka, why would you pick your teeth with that? Do you even know where that damn thing has been?" 

"Yes, actually. I kind of have it on me at all times." 

"I can't believe you kiss me with that mouth."

Azula sat down in the chair close to the coffee table, resting the heels of her feet on it and balancing her plate of food on her thighs, kicking off the wooden figure of Zuko that he had left there as she did so. "I can't believe you're still on about that stupid toy stand. And how do you know it was a guy who sold it to me? You weren't there, unless of course you were spying on me like some fucking creep." She gave Suki a knowing look, and began chowing down her meal that she initially did not realize she was so desperate for. 

"Please, a woman wouldn't be able to pass up the opportunity to sell any likeness of this handsome face!" He pointed to his mug enthusiastically, his grin bigger than his brain. 

"Perhaps they were just sold out of miniature Sokkas, and you're the most popular item they couldn't restock." Azula laughed to herself internally at her own statement; she truly thought herself the funny one of the group.

"Yeah I didn't think of that, you're probably right. Azula really is the smart one here, along with me of course." Sokka crossed his arms behind his head, and Azula let out an unexpected giggle, as she was absolutely humoured at the thought of Sokka being on the same level of intelligence that she was. 

Suki crossed her arms and forced Sokka to move his legs so she could sit adjacent to him. "I think you're just jealous because they made one of me and not of you." She stuck her tongue out at him, playfully taunting him about his egotistical predicament. 

"How do we even know that the figures are of you? It could be any Kyoshi Warrior! I'm much more distinguished and recognizable, I'm just the obvious choice." Sokka's choice of words landed him a slap from Suki, and he was left rubbing his face as she turned to address Azula. 

"So, Azula, when are they gonna come out with toys of you? You didn't mention them having any figures that resembled you at all."

Azula was staring at the ceiling, her mind seemingly focused on something else as she fed herself. "I don't know, maybe when they decide to come out with toys of the villains. The little boy did call them heroes, after all." 

"What little boy?" 

Before she could even think to answer, Ty Lee came busling in to meet the rest of the gang, and she did her trademark cartwheel over to the kitchen, Azula noticing that their greasy chef had disappeared. 

"Ooh boy am I ready to play some kuai ball with everyone! It's been sooooo long. Oh wow this food all looks delicious!" Azula couldn't help but keep her eyes tracked on Ty Lee as she frollicked in the kitchen, and it was a different feeling seeing her now. She was dressed in a rose petal colored bikini that might have been a size or two down from what she needed, and Azula examined every curve of her body. Hot flashes suddenly coursed through her, and she couldn't stop the images of last night's risque adventures with Ty Lee popping in her head like fireworks. She was so beautiful, glowing and full of energy. Was this what love felt like? Normally seeing someone like this annoyed her, but it was somehow refreshing this time. She thought how the pervert chef was missing out on a sight like this, and Azula couldn't wait for nightfall to come so they could explore each other further. The giddiness she was experiencing by just seeing her new lover was such a foreign experience for her. When Ty Lee looked her way and gave her an affectionate glance, she was fidgeting in her seat like the little boy, Zuko, who had been alive with excitement when he caught eye of the toy stand.

Speaking of Zukos, her brother had noticed her blushing, her cheeks a rosy field not unlike the color of Ty Lee's garments, and he was perplexed by Azula's sudden upbeat appearance. "What are you thinking about Azula?" 

"What? Nothing. I'm going to go for a smoke, I'll meet you at the net. I know where it is." Azula wasn't expecting to be noticed, and she abruptly left, leaving her plate on the table. Zuko shot Jin a questioning look, who was idly sipping on her tea. 

"That's odd, she said she was starving but she didn't even finish half of her food…" they both shrugged, and everyone continued to chow down and enjoy their beverages. Azula would continue to be a mystery to them, but Ty Lee had a faint idea of what was causing her to act strangely. After she finished her breakfast and drink, she excused herself to go after the Princess, and she identified Azula exactly where she said she would be, down by the kuai net. Azula was leaning on one of the poles, puffing away when she noticed Ty Lee approach her, her beaming smile not out of place. As she drifted closer, the aching buzz in Azula was magnified in her stance. 

"Hey, everything okay, Princess?" She parked her shoulder against Azula's resting arm, allowing no distance between them. There was a certain lack of comfort from Azula that replaced her normal regal standing. 

"Yes, why wouldn't it be, besides having to hear the water tribe boy go on and on about such monotonous aggravations?" 

Ty Lee let out a chuckle. "I think he's funny in a cute and dumb way. But maybe we should talk about last night?" 

"What about last night?" Azula knew this discussion was coming her way eventually, and Ty Lee was certainly one to be upfront about all her feelings and musings. 

"I mean, everything was good right? You were having a good time?" 

"Of course I had a good time. You did see my reaction from your finger work, didn't you?" Azula turned smug from the thought of their adventurous acts in the tub she had been replaying in her head all morning. If she praised her work, Ty Lee would be more inclined to give repeat performances. Of course, she was deserving of the praise she received, she certainly knew how to raise the hairs on Azula's neck.

"Well yeah, but, was it… the right decision? Are you okay with it?" 

"It's… it's something I'm going to have to get used to. I've never experienced this kind of feeling before…" Azula glanced away, taking in the ocean as the salty breeze spun around her. She was caught off guard by the cool hand of Ty Lee clasping her chin, swinging her back around to give her a soft peck on her lips, her cheeks growing the same shade of pink. 

"You can take all the time you need, I'm always going to be right here with you, Azula…." Ty Lee was given a cozy look, but Azula stepped away and tossed her finished cigarette when she noticed the rest of the group pouring out of the lounge, heading down the trail. She solidified herself, storing her affections deep in her chest for later. Zuko led the group down to the net, now shirtless and carrying the ball they would toss around, his headpiece glinting in the sun. She examined the physical scar she had left on him on the day of Sozin's Comet as he got closer, the red mark planted center on his abdomen. She had completely forgotten about the memento she had given him all those years ago. Her breath quickened at the memories, and she tried to hide the scowl forcing itself across her face. 

"Alright is everybody ready?" Zuko looked around tossing the ball between his hands, with Jin leaning on him in her green one piece swimsuit. "So for those who haven't played, the rules are pretty simple: You kick or hit the ball to the other team, and if they fail to retaliate, you get a point. The more complex your serve the better. You're allowed to touch the net, can't cross to the other side. You get the idea. And we won't use bending, obviously. First to ten wins. Normally this is played four on four but six of us should do fine. We'll split between Fire Nation and outsiders. Plan your strategies and take positions, Suki's team will serve first." He handed the ball to Sokka, and they huddled on their side to plan out their plays with Zuko and company doing the same.

"What's the plan, Zuko?" Ty Lee rested her arms on the royal siblings, and was eager to get some licks in. 

"Ty Lee is the most maneuverable, so you'll take center stage, I imagine they'll do the same with Suki, so it will be the Kyoshi Warriors leading. But keep in mind, they haven't ever played before, and Jin isn't trained like we are. So this is a casual game and we're going to not be so harsh, got it?" He looked directly at Azula, a nod to her competitive nature, and she rolled her eyes at him. 

"Whatever, let's just get on with it. I shall go easy on them." 

They each took their respective triangle formations, with Zuko being correct at Suki taking center, and Azula and Sokka being across from each other. "Alright let's have some fun! And please don't make me have to replace the net or ball." 

Suki tossed the ball up, jumping to meet it with her feet and serving it to Zuko, who smacked it towards Jin back to him. Suki plunged toward the incoming serve, and spin kicked it towards Zuko to bury it in the sand in front of his late feet. 

"One! Hope you ladies are keeping count." Suki triumphantly exclaimed with Sokka cheering her on. Making fun of Zuko's manhood was a playful opportunity she never got to relish in, so she made sure to give him a look to make sure he knew it, and he hit her back with a tiny smirk. Ty Lee served the ball to them with a similar spin kick, with Sokka able to jump and hit back. Azula leaped and caught it with her swinging knee, propelling it towards Jin who managed to surprise everyone with unexpected agility, the top of her closed fists sending it Zuko's way. He was distracted by Jin's movements, and the ball whizzed past him, leaving him dumbfounded. 

"That's two!" Jin let out excitingly at her first score. 

"Zuzu, what the spirits are you doing?" Azula flailed her arms at her side, and his inability to keep his head in the game this early on had frustrated her. She thought him as useful as a wounded turtleduck. He sighed, then tossed the ball in the air, waiting to round a kick to it as it was level with his head, and it darted straight for Suki. She retaliated it back to him, but he ran to the pole holding the net, running up the pole before it crossed and giving a hard tap with his foot back towards them, and it spun past Suki and Sokka. His smirk had grown bigger. 

As the game went on, their scores kept a close chase, with the fire siblings and Ty Lee taking the lead. As time went on, Sokka and Suki's manuevers would grow more complicated. It was clear she was the power behind their drilled attacks, and they did not fail to utilize Jin's potential, who managed to get a few good kicks at Zuko and Ty Lee. The thorn in Suki's side was Azula, who had constantly pitched it at hard angles to her, and Ty Lee taking advantage of her flexibility and dominance on the net top. Zuko's sweat droplets were innumerable as he was outed as the weak one of the force by Suki's team, although he had been holding his own. 

The score was 7-6 with Fire Nation leading, and Suki was prepared to play dirty, as was Azula trying to match her ferocity. Ty Lee served this time, but Sokka was ready and had Suki give him a boost, and he sent it back straight for her head. She ducked her neck, using her leg behind her like a scorpion beetle's tail to toss it in front of her, and she kicked it to Zuko who gave a power blow, whizzing by Jin, but Suki was prepared and slighted it passed Azula. Azula was not pleased, and she aligned her starting shot to Sokka, but he gave an unforeseen smack with his firearm forward, and it struck past her again followed by the cheers of Suki congratulating her man.

"You serve, Ty Lee. Show them what little they have to celebrate for." Azula readied herself as Ty Lee leaped in the air like a frog lizard, and her shin hit the ball towards Suki who had jumped on the net to redirect it back, but Ty Lee was quick as light, and pummeled it towards Jin who hit it back to Zuko, and he allowed himself a strike against Sokka who fell back with the ball lodged against his stomach. Tied.

"Hey, I just had breakfast!" Slightly fizzled out, he gave Jin the opportunity to serve, and she hit it diagonally towards Azula. Jin correctly anticipated her to take advantage of Sokka, and she motioned for Suki to boost her, and she flung a fast one past Ty Lee who had mounted on the net. Azula grabbed the ball as it slid across the sand out of court, and she would not let this opportunity go to waste. She spotted a couple of royal guards keeping watch, interested in the game as they stood firm, ready to protect their Lord at any moment. She levitated the ball in front of her, and she reverse kicked it harshly towards Sokka, who put his hands together and almost took out his wrists by bouncing it back to Ty Lee. Ty Lee did a backwards toss up off the net, but Suki did the same to hurl it back over towards Zuko, and he had it flying towards Jin. She executed a surprise jump, smacking it up towards her fist with an appending strike and delivered the winning blow past a too slow Ty Lee. 

"yeahhhh!! That's right! Team Boomerang has seized the day! Alright!" Sokka hugged Suki, who also brought Jin in for a celebratory hug. Jin had fought valiantly, and had taken the other group aback by her efforts. 

"Wow, that was so fun! We have to do that again soon!" cheered Ty Lee who was jubilant despite their loss, while Azula was left with her hands on her hip as they met in the middle with the net in between. She examined her long nails as she addressed them. 

"I suppose it's only fair for you to win. The Fire Nation did dominate your lands for the past one hundred years after all." Zuko gave a look of disapproval at her comment, and she shrugged it off. "That'll do it for my exercise today, but I think I must go soak up some sun on the deck. Will you be joining me, Ty Lee?" 

"Absolutely!" 

"I guess Sokka and I will head up to the market to check it out to see what's different this year." said Suki, and she took Sokka in her arms as they went back up to the villa to change, and Jin took Zuko's hands in her own while looking up to him. 

"You wanna go for a walk on the beach?" he asked perkily. 

"Sounds great!" She let him wrap her under his arm as they walked. She sounded a little out of breath.

"Here, I'll take you to a different side this time." They traded smiles, and he guided her to a section of the beach that was pinched off from the rest right near the villa, where it was surrounded by a wall of trees and growth, and scattered about were a few large rocks where the seabirds had rested. He stood awkwardly by Jin, not knowing what to say. "So, you did pretty good at kuai ball." 

"Thank you, it was loads of fun! Thank you so much for bringing me here. Even though I know it's under difficult circumstances, it's been great meeting everyone."

"Good, good. I'm glad. So uh, working with Uncle, that's gotta be interesting." He had to come up with some topic to push a conversation, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, it's really nice. It's a really good job to go to while I'm studying at the University. Serving tea has really helped me pay for everything, and I don't have to stress as much." Zuko felt reassured that she was treated like family with Iroh, and that he was looking after her. 

"What uh, what have you been studying at the University? Anything interesting?" 

"Well ever since you and the Avatar have helped release all that lost information to the public, there's a whole wealth of things to study. There's a lot of things about the war to be researched. Our professors are finding out new stuff everyday."

"That's pretty good. I'm glad your education is going well. Of course if you ever need help with paying for it or anything, or if you ever need a source on something about the Fire Nation, I'd be happy to help you, or I'm sure Iroh has a lot he could tell you." 

"That would be great! Thank you, Zuko! I'll have to take you up on that offer sometime, that could really impress my professors." 

The fine sand shifted under them with each small step, and Zuko was brought back to the years he would come as a small child, hearing the cackling of Iroh and his older cousin, Lu Ten. The waves on the beach pulled up and down as they once did when they would build sandcastles and kick the sand, looking for turtle crabs.

"What are you thinking about?" Jin had noticed Zuko drifting off and nudged him on the arm, and it was obvious he was lost in deep thought. 

"I was just thinking about coming here a long time ago, with my Uncle and Lu Ten when I was a child." 

"Lu Ten?"

"He was my uncle's son." 

"Oh, Iroh never mentioned him." She saw him staring ahead, being pulled in by the waves. "What… what happened to him?" 

"He was killed in the war, almost fifteen years ago. Back when Uncle led the six hundred day siege on Ba Sing Se." 

Jin wrapped her arm around Zuko's waist, rubbing his side. "I'm so sorry. It's hard to imagine your uncle trying to attack the city. He seems to love the place, especially the people. I guess now I slightly understand why he's different from back then. Losing your own child, I can't even imagine." 

"He had a complicated past, like the rest of my family." They walked further along the shoreline, taking in the sun and the calls of the birds as the water periodically tickled their feet on the wet sand.

"You know, I would have never guessed I would ever be coming here to see the Fire Nation with you. I can't believe that the timid boy I met in the tea shop all those years ago was the Prince of the Fire Nation. But for the little time I saw you, I could tell there was something special about you, Lee the circus juggler." She teased him about the name, giggling at him while he let a smirk slip through his stone face. 

"I'm sorry I couldn't be truthful back then. I'm sorry I ran off and left you." 

Jin stepped forward and gazed out into the blue horizon. "When you lit up the lanterns on the fountain, I knew you were a firebender. And most people would have been scared or full of spite," she revealed to him and rubbed his arms. "but there was something about you, and I knew that you were just like the rest of us. No matter how complicated your past." She was lost in his honeypot eyes, and her grin was intoxicating to him. She decided to situate herself on one of the large rocks, and he sat close, with her hands resting on his lap. 

"Zuko, I know it's personal, but you've never mentioned it. So… I was just wondering, exactly... how did you get your scar?" Zuko exhaled deeply, and looked down. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, you don't have to-" 

"No, it's alright." Zuko felt the sun's heat baking on his face. "When I was young, I spoke out of term during a war meeting, because they were going to sacrifice soldiers for nothing. As punishment, my father forced me to duel an Agni Kai, for disrespecting him. He burned me, and he had me banished from the Fire Nation. He said the only way I could ever come back was if I captured the Avatar. Everyone thought it was a fool's errand, but then I found him." 

"And then you became friends with the Avatar? And taught him firebending?" 

"It's a lot more complicated than that, but yeah. Eventually." He grabbed her hand and rubbed her palms. "I'm not proud of some of the things I've done." 

Jin examined his stern look, his scar and the hard look in his eyes. "When we left the palace, your sister, Azula, said something about you both being in Ba Sing Se. Is that something to do with it?" 

"My sister had infiltrated the city, trying to execute some scheme. She found me and my uncle. And she gave me a choice. The whole time I was gone I had wanted my honor, and I thought my father could give it to me if I brought him the Avatar. I was branded a traitor, that's why I was there in hiding. But she gave me a choice, she offered me redemption. And I made the wrong choice. I helped her take down the Avatar, and I betrayed my uncle. Whenever the Fire Nation took over Ba Sing Se, it was because of me. It was because I ignored everything in my body that told me this was wrong. All for glory that wasn't mine." He looked away from Jin, his head practically buried in the sand. "I'm so sorry, Jin. I know the Fire Nation invading your city wasn't easy to deal with. I blame myself."

Jin thought back to her memories of the Fire Nation Army marching on the streets. The stomps of masked soldiers, the rumbling of black tanks. There was the feeling of dread knowing that the impenetrable city was no longer safe, that they were no longer free. She could hear the crying of her mother, the pain. She placed her hand on Zuko's cheek, and once again looked into his regretful eyes. "The day the Fire Nation took over was scary. But you didn't let your past corrupt you. You helped take down your father, and you brought peace to the world. You stopped all the violence, because you knew what was in your heart was right." They could not deny the magnetism between them, tugging at their inner thoughts. "You've improved the lives of so many people, including mine."

She leaned into him, letting their lips collide. She thought his lips were silk, and he let her braid slide through the grip of his hand. They had given each other little kisses throughout their stay, but this felt the most energetic and impactful. A myriad of emotions came over them both, and although Jin had only been in his life for a short time, it was as if she knew greatly who he really was, and he could not hide it. His sensitivity was not hidden under his strong authoritative character he displayed, but was rather amplified by it. He was strong, but humble, the perfect combination for a ruler and a lover. 

"You're such a beautiful person, Zuko." She was barely an inch from him, and she could practically hear the blood spiking in him from never being referred to that way before. 

"You really are something, Jin. I'm thankful we found each other again." 

"And now when there's a time of peace." 

Zuko looked out to the sun climbing to the top of the blue canvas. At a glance, he couldn't tell where the ocean ended and the sky began. "Yes, the world is finally at peace." 

"I was talking about the peace in you…" Jin put her ear to his heart, and ran her finger down his amazing physique. 

_If only she knew…_

He thought how he didn't believe he would ever find any true sense of calmness with his responsibilities to his nation, to the whole world. The crown rested heavy on his crooked head. 

Jin looked over his tight muscles, the way his stomach felt like smooth stone intrigued her. "How did you get this scar?" Her finger drew lightly over the pink of his abdomen. 

"My sister." Zuko looked beyond the beach once more, with Jin taking in the same sight, and she realized Zuko and Azula's relationship was far more complicated than she initially thought. 

Azula and Ty Lee had sprawled out on their respective chairs, reclining them back where the sun hit at the perfect angle on the deck of their building. To Ty Lee, it felt relaxing on her skin, but to Azula it was a process of absorbing pure energy, distributing it throughout her body which she did not plan to utilize for the rest of the day. She was to laze around, their game at the beach had been enough for her. Ty Lee's chair had sat close, and Azula opened her eyes at the unexpected gesture of Ty Lee rolling over to feel her up and give her a smooch on the cheek. 

"It's such a perfect day to be with you, Azula." she purred as her lips dotted to Azula's, trying to give affection, but the Princess was not particularly responsive. 

"Not now, I'm trying to get some sun." She closed her eyes again, letting out a yawn as she readjusted herself. 

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing, everything is fine." 

"Are you mad about losing the game?" 

"Why would I care about the outcome of some stupid ball game? Besides, Zuzu said it was supposed to be casual, anyways. At least he played like it was." She blew Ty Lee off as if she were swatting at a persistent fly. Ty Lee could normally attribute Azula's responses to her recalcitrance, although something was clearly tugging at her nerves. 

"Why do you have to be so grumpy? It's a nice day. Maybe we should go and get you some more food in the lounge? You haven't been eating that much."

Azula scoffed at her, and sat up to swing her legs over the side of the chair. She rubbed her temple, and she spotted her frog lizard approaching her as she glanced down. When she procured him in her grasp, she caught sight of her brother and Jin walking in arms entering the section of the villa they stayed in. "No, I think we should probably relax here for a while." 

Zuko had taken the opportunity to freshen himself up while Jin had gone upstairs. When he climbed up to their room, he noticed her staring out of the open dividers that lead to their private balcony. He crept behind her, peering into the open jungle that painted the land below them.

"You said you needed to grab something?" Jin turned to the sound of his voice and beamed at him, swaying her hips ever so gently as she held on to his waist, reaching for him.

"Yeah, you." She stole a kiss from him, testing his reaction then landed her lips on him for a long while. Her body was brought into his as he pulled on her, and Jin felt the compulsion to feel Zuko up. "You're so strong, Zuko." 

"And you're so delicate, like a spring flower." he let out softly in response. The lids of Jin's eyes rested over her round irises that matched the jungle below, and they seductively drew him closer. Their eyes did not maintain contact for long as hers drifted down to Zuko's chest; his defined figure was as enticing to her as the air around them.

"I want to see the rest of you…" Jin had been absolutely overjoyed by their mental connection they shared for the past few days, but now she desired him physically. She could tell he was stunned by the way his eyes lit up, but she reassured him with her calm demeanor. "I know we both have been looking for the right time. And now..." 

Zuko gave her a kiss that reassured her he thought the same. He would follow her to the end of the world if that's what it took to be with her and maintain this very moment. Jin felt the heat within Zuko burning to the pores of his skin, and all too quickly the heat was taken from her as he escaped her grasp, locking the door to their room before once again embracing her. She traced his shoulders down to his shirt trousers, reaching across his side and pulling him close by his back. With her other hand she felt that his hair was too tight for her liking, and she removed the sharp pin that held his bun. The headpiece of the Fire Lord was pulled out of his hair, falling to the desk beside him with his long strands following, tickling his shoulders. His hair had grown lengthy in recent years, much like the Fire Lords before him.

Zuko couldn't help but play with Jin's braids, and as his fingers trailed down the bumpy length of hair, he was led to pulling the shoulder straps of her swimwear, teasing it off with a wiggle. She once again tugged at his bottoms, and this time they slipped off with ease. She peered down after breaking their kisses, first noticing his neatly trimmed hair before examining his length, and there was a lot of length to cover. He was already stiffening against her stomach, and she bit her lip in anticipation. To Jin, he was perfect in every way.

"I've never wanted a man more than I do right now." Zuko knew Jin was always an eager girl, now he couldn't deny her wants or needs any longer. It was him who was unsure if they were ready, and she would respect their boundaries until the right time had come along. She knew Zuko was shy for a leader of an entire nation, but now she was absolutely certain that their deepest intimacies couldn't be more welcome. He played with her other strap, and they inched down her arms as her swimwear peeled off. She thought about how she had not even had the chance to explore the shallows of the ocean in it yet as it fell down her legs, and now the push and pull in her was like the waves as she caught Zuko eyeing her body in a haze of lust. 

She was absolutely stunning, very buxom and inviting. His hands wandered past the small of her back as his manhood pressed into her tummy, and she tightly gripped the rear of his thighs. The thought that they were about to become closer than they were now dizzied Zuko, and there was nothing that could away Jin from following through with the moment. Not even the strongest of earthquakes could shake them from each other, and Zuko knew it as one was processing through his entire body from the moment she told him her desires. Zuko was warming up again but stayed comfortable in her arms, and it only made her want him more. 

As they kissed again, Jin tipped them both onto their spacious bed, and Zuko was unsure where her skin ended and the silk sheets began while he felt her body with his eyes closed. She was as smooth as a fisherman's sailing of the waves on a day like this, and her giggles were a siren's call to the deep unknown. He appreciated the differences made apparent from when he would bed Mai. Not that he was neglected a great time when he was with Mai, but Jin's filled out form made him extra grabby, and her soft voice was certainly a toss up from Mai's deep purrs. Jin's tongue was as velvety as the rest of her, and her hair had the substance of light clouds as he gripped the back of her head. 

"C'mon Zuko, I want you to fuck me." She teased him with laugh and stroke to the face, and her eyes could not spell out her needs more than they did. There was a surge of static in him as he had not expected that kind of language from a nice girl like Jin, but her intent to shift him into gear had been successful to say the least. He found her entrance with his tip, discovering she was already primed for him to enter her, and he slid in with ease. The eye contact they shared was magnetic, and as he gave a slight thrust, she winced off to the side. "Go slow, baby. You're so big." 

The ego boost was definitely a plus, but he forgot all about it as she once again smacked her lips against him, and she kissed up his cheek and his scarred eye. She could not decide which to grip: his long hair or his firm back. It was a question she wasn't plagued with for long as he buried himself deeper, and she had to maintain focus on her composure. She would have to grip his back for now. 

Zuko eased back, then slid forward into Jin again with the grace of a soaring bird. His cock was not even halfway within her before she shrieked. Her thighs were the most inviting for his pelvis to bury within her figure, and his uncertainty of her ability to take more was dissipated with her faint moans and her palms pulling him farther in on his backside. She glanced back into his golden eyes for a drawn out moment as he bucked her again and again. Zuko's weight being spread over her made her feel so fragile, especially when he leaned in and kissed her neck as he felt her chest. Her breasts were more than a handful for him, and the heel of her right foot brushing against his calf made him fall into her more. She had accommodated all of him now with astonishing ease, and the slice of heaven that was Jin was his to command. Her dominating sense of affection had melted into subservience to his every move. 

The moans Jin let out into Zuko's ear drove him mad. His hand drifted up her thigh with a tickle that shot through the rest of her, until the pad of his finger located her clit. He would massage her sensitive pearl while his manhood drifted in and out of her slit, her lips parting as the thickness of his base plummeted inside. 

"Oh, Jin! Oh yes, I need you so bad." 

"Zuko…. Mmm you're making me…" her hips were working with his, and they moaned together as their bodies were in sync. It was a feeling that would not last long as he was ready to burst, but not ready to stop. It took all of his willpower to pull out of her, and she was tempted to lock him in. He would not explode yet, he had to reset and bide his time while entertaining her body to not lose momentum. His finger wiggled at her clit, and he noticed the wet stain on the sheets under them. If he had known this was how his morning would go down, he would have ordered the servants to bring towels. He looked as she was struggling with deep breaths, just as she was after the game of kuai ball. It was when the heaving of her shoulders had calmed that he realized he must lead her experience in another way before he was ready to take her again. 

"Do you… do you like to be tasted?" Zuko questioned gently as he pushed on her hip slightly, and she couldn't nod fast enough. He grasped her, and scooted her higher up on the bed, making sure to prop a pillow on the headboard where her shoulders could rest as she watched him place his head between her thighs. His long hair tickled them, but she paid no mind as a flash of his golden eyes turned her to vapor and his mouth took a soft dip on her slick flower. He liked how nicely trimmed she was, and he enjoyed the smell of soap that scented her. He licked the clit first, swirling it gently and then dragged the underside of his tongue across her vulva. He thought she tasted wonderfully, and Jin could not watch as her neck locked her head upward when she let out another soft moan. His tongue parted her lips like a ship parting the ocean, just as wet and just as commanding. 

"Yes, Zuko…" 

"Is that good?"

"Mmm I like that, right there sweety..." 

His tongue reached in deeper, and he tasted her like he had no meal for days. Occasionally he would tease by kissing her thighs, but it got to the point where he could no longer venture off course due to her legs being wrapped tightly around him. The heels of her feet dug into his spine as his outstretched hands played with her breasts, and she had to hold on to his hair. Zuko told her to relax, and she dropped all the tension in her body. The unchecked eruption of good vibes in her pelvis was excruciatingly pleasurable. There were nonstop moans coming from her for two minutes, and for a while she had to bury her face in one of the pillows trying not to bite her lip off. Every lick was so precise, so carefully placed, and this definitely wasn't his first time around the block. He moaned into her, and the vibrations sent her into a tizzy.

Zuko spread Jin's legs and leaped up after his jaw began to get sore, and he showered her with kisses from her lips to her shoulders. He was careful not to leave any marks on her neck as he kissed behind her ear, as hard as it was not to while caressing her hair as the strands carried through his fingers. She savored the flavor of her juices leftover on his lips, twisting tongues with him as if she were wild. He nudged her and flipped her over, positioning her on all fours. As she prepared for him to enter her again, she clutched the silk sheets and steadied her knees into the padding of the bed. Zuko's hands imprinted into her sides, and she once again felt his tip testing her pussy. 

"Take me again, Zuko. Please." 

"I want you so bad." he let out as he eased in her, and he didn't realize until then how much he missed the feeling already. Zuko was incredibly hot, and it made Jin quiver. Making love to a firebender was incredibly rousing for her as he advanced and pulled in the perfect manner, and his rod stimulated areas within that she was not ready for at this angle. 

"Yes! Right there! Just right there!" Jin's own breath was drowned out by Zuko's hitting her ear, and she couldn't tremble more. She felt so tiny and helpless with his rough and toned figure arching over her, mechanically laying his motions against her. He burrowed deep, smacking against her ass as he penetrated each time. His cock was twitching, waiting to release inside her, but he held on for as long as he could, continuing on to please Jin. He was losing a grip on her sides as his hands were sweating, and he noticed she was as well from his heat. He pulled her closer by the chest, holding her back against him as he kissed her cheek, occasionally stroking her neck with his tongue. 

"I'm close, Jin…" she readied to be filled with his hot cum, perking her ass up to let his length completely go beyond her entrance. She did not need his moans to let her know he had burst inside, as she could feel it seeping into her. He let out a couple more thrusts as he moaned in her ear,then carefully removed himself before pouncing on her to share a kiss. He was not done however, as he let his hand trail down her body, and began to finger fuck her to finish the job. She buzzed in his ear, practically massaging the sides of his head as the sensation of his glossy hair was addicting. She couldn't get enough, even though she had just gotten the full experience. Her insides pulsed as he played with her chest and pumped her sensitive bits, and she could feel his cum oozing out of her. But the most tantalizing of all was Zuko's eyes, piercing through her like a predatory reptile but still filled with care and grace. His irises were gorgeous suns, and his body had the heat to match. 

Zuko was overtly passionate as he tended to Jin's every desire, and she twitched with every detail of care. Her calling of his name grew louder, and she realized the real reason Zuko had bunked them away from everybody else. She no longer had control over herself, every nerve locked up as Zuko's fingers swam violently in her, hitting her special spot. She shrieked in an adorably obnoxious manner as her tummy fell, as if she were drifting to the ground, and she spasmed without free will. Her eyes were shut closed, and she felt as if her teeth might shatter from clenching her jaw. It was only when she glanced down that she realized she squirt all over Zuko's arm, her liquid trailing down to his elbow as he removed himself from her.

"Oh for fucks sake, oh fuck…" she cried out, and Zuko shushed her as he clashed his lips with hers. "Mmm… Zuko, this was so special."

"It was special to me too, Jin." He held her tightly for a while as he shifted her on top of him, and she could not resist hearing the rhythm of his beating heart. His skin was as warm as the hot sand outside, and she molded into him. He inched his hand over all her curves, finding great pleasure in her breath hitting his chest. They both closed their eyes for a long while. 

"I'm gonna need to rest a little for round two." she purred as she drifted her finger over his body. 

"Haha, can't get enough, I see. Don't worry, I'll take care of you." 

Their post coital bliss was interrupted with a rap on his door, heavy knocks banging on the wood flooded the room with disruption. Zuko was clearly annoyed as he located a blood red robe and tied the waist, and Jin did the same as she was curious who it could be. Surely Azula wouldn't bother them, and there was no time for Sokka And Suki to return from the market. 

"Fire Lord Zuko, an urgent matter." A muffled, deep voice came from the other side of the door, and Zuko opened it to reveal a royal guard in full armor, holding a staff and rolled parchment in his hand. "A messenger hawk has been sent for you, from General Iroh." Zuko was handed the scroll, closed with a red wax seal, and the guard gave a bow before dismissing himself. Zuko broke the seal to scan the contents, a smaller, crumbled paper that was attached inside had whisked out, and he scanned rapidly. Jin carefully approached from behind, clutching her robe to her chest, and noticed him cringe his face and crane his neck as the scroll erupted in orange flame from his own doing. 

"Zuko, what is it?" She witnessed anger fill his eyes, and the room smelled of burned parchment as he balled his fists. 

In the other building, Azula and Ty Lee sat in the girl's bed as Azula's frog lizard lazed about next to them, and pallets of powders and makeup scattered the bedspread. 

"You look sooo gorgeous, Azula!" Ty Lee was impressed with her work on the Princess, and her darkened lashes highlighted the speckling coins that were Azula's eyes. She looked in the mirror mounted on the wall, practically purring at her appearance. 

"I really am quite stunning." 

"Yes, totally!" Azula stood and admired her entire form, with Ty Lee coming up from behind to give gentle touches. She kissed Azula's neck and she stroked her chest, and it was the only reason Azula looked away from her reflection. 

"What's this?" Azula held up a glistening bottle, a muddied red color liquid filled it, and it was almost as long as her forearm from bottleneck to base. It was an extremely fat jug. 

"That's some rum Zuko had sent to my room. I've had it before, it's pretty strong." 

"There was nothing sent to my room." 

"I'm sure Zuko just assumed we would share this. That's a lot for the both of us." 

"I've… I've never drank before…" 

Ty Lee's eyes lit up in shock. "You've never drank before?" 

"No, I've never been inebriated. I've always kept my mind in perfect form. Though I guess I've just never had the chance." 

"Oh, I've drank some with the Kyoshi warriors before. It's actually pretty- Wait Azula!!" Azula popped off the cork, and took a long swig straight from the bottle. Her eyes widened, and she slammed the bottle down as she grasped her throat. She spit out a puff of blue flame like an enraged dragon that tickled the wooden floor, and any liquid she would have spit out evaporated from the heat. 

"Fucking spirits, that was awful!" Azula heaved, and Ty Lee patted her back and held her arm. 

"You're not supposed to drink it like that! Like I said, it's really strong, and alcohol burns your throat. Usually you mix it with something else. Plus it's barely noon, most people wait until night time to start drinking." 

"Ugh, that taste. How can anyone stand this?" 

"You don't drink for the taste, you drink to get drunk! You know, all fuzzy inside." 

Azula rested her hand on her forehead, shaking herself. "Perhaps I will have to try later. I'm going to go get some water." She carried herself down the stairs and out the door, walking across the dirt to the main lounge. Her throat felt acidic, and there was rumble in her abdomen that she needed to be rid of. When she opened up the door, she found Zuko and Jin standing by the stairway, and her brother gave off a strong vibe of displeasure. Azula was sure she knew what they were just up to, as what other reason would they have to spend the morning indoors on a nice sunny day? She wondered if Jin had not been satisfied by his performance, and that would be the cause for the sour mood that painted his face. 

"Hello Zuzu. Something rattling you?" She walked in the kitchen, pouring a drink from the pitcher before taking a sip, trying dearly not to laugh and spit out her water. Her dry throat was relieved as she gulped it down.

"No, everything's fine." he grumbled.

"You always were a terrible liar, Zuzu. You really ought to work on that, especially with as many advisors and politicians you mingle with." Azula leaned on the wall next to them, curious if he would spill the details of his dismay. "Lighten up, Zuko. We're on vacation, it's not as if there's anything troublesome to worry about, except maybe some sand in your toes. You did always whine about that when we came here as kids." His frown deepened, and she took pleasure in the ribbing she gave him. She noted Jin's perplexed demeanor, and thought maybe the situation wasn't exactly all that clear, after all. Her train of thought was broken as a hard knock came from the door, a royal guardsman let himself in. 

"Your highness. A guest has requested to see you. I recognized her from the palace, so I let her pass and come up." 

Zuko drew himself forward, and was puzzled. "A Guest?" His questioning was answered as a slim girl with elegant black hair walked through the door, and she stood before him in a natural pose, a fancy red dress spiraling from her waist. "Mai!" 

Azula was just as taken aback as he was, and all she could do at first was muster a laugh. "Oh, this is too good!" 


End file.
